Sustainable HRM theories : Simultaneous benefits for organisations and stakeholders

[Extract] Many HRM practices have evolved over a period of time from the humanistic perspective to exercise increasing control over workers’ lives and it has negative effects on stakeholders (e.g. employees, their family and society’s sustainable environmental management expectations) beyond organisations. Human resources should be managed sustainably so that, for example, employees can continue to make positive contributions to their families and the community while they are actively employed in an organisation. In the HRM literature it is common to find that most HRM practices, in particular some of the HPWPs, are driven by organisations’ internally referenced efficiency focused approach (Mariappanadar, 2003). HPWPs aim to assure greater flexibility and motivation of employees, to increase the participation of employees in decision making, and to take advantage of their problem-solving and communication skills. These HPWPs are shaped by strategic and economic aspirations of organisations to achieve competitive advantage through employees (Pfeffer, 1998). However, the critical HRM perspective (e.g. Legge, 1995; Ramsay et al., 2000) suggests that the economic aspirations of organisations using HPWPs may also have negative impacts on well-being issues relating to stakeholders. Hence, in this chapter the negative impacts of HRM practices in particular HPWPs on stakeholders are explored to explain one of the aspects of sustainable HRM.