Management and Organization Various Approaches - (Decent Work As A Strategy of HR Sustainability)

Meryem Aybas
Decent Work: As a Strategy of HR

Sustainability
1 Introduction
The United Nations has stated that sustainable development can become a reality
only if it becomes a fundamental concern for individual companies and the
business community as a whole in the sense of corporate responsibility. Because
traditional financial accounting and reporting frameworks do not fully account
for an institution’s social and environmental activities, the sustainability needs to
be broadened (Guthrie & Farneti, 2008: 362).
Today, sustainability is a new developing concept that is being discussed
in many areas. It include values, governance, transparency and ethics as well
as diversity, social responsibility, supporting human and employee rights,
protecting the environment and contributing to society (Boudreou & Ramstad,
Copyright © 2019. Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften. All rights reserved.
2005:130). In today’s competitive environment, HR are consumed and exploited

rather than developed and reproduced (Ehnert, 2006: 2).
In the HR literature, sustainability is seen mostly in the context of competitive
advantage. However, there are some responsibilities related to HRM. In this con-
text, the following questions may be asked in micro and macro dimensions: What
can be done for sustainability on the basis of strategic HRM? Where does this
concept fit into sustainable competitive advantage? How can HR strategies con-
tribute to society in the context of decent work?
In this study, it is aimed to discuss the concept of decent work, which is impor-
tant for the sustainability of human labour, how to align HRM strategies, pos-
sible compromise and conflict points. It is aimed to contribute to the literature as
a theoretical review. As a result of this study, recommendations were developed
for HRM managers and policy makers.
2 HR Sustainability
A sustainable organisation operates for the integration of business interests and
the interests of the environment and society. It provides profit to its shareholders
while protecting the environment and improving the lives of the people it
interacts with (Mishra, Sarkar & Singh, 2013: 84).
Cakirel, Y. (Ed.). (2019). Management and organization : Various approaches. ProQuest Ebook Central <a
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182 Meryem Aybas
The literature on sustainable HRM has evolved over the last decade and
represents the initiative to review HRM practices and outcomes that are pre-
dominantly beyond financial outcomes (Kramar, 2014: 1070). Sustainable
HRM is defined by Thom & Zaugg (2004: 217) as “those long-term oriented
conceptual approaches and activities aimed at a socially responsible and
economically appropriate recruitment and selection, development, deploy-
ment, and downsizing of employees”. According to Ehnert (2009: 74), sustain-
able HRM is the pattern of planned or emerging human resource strategies
and practices intended to enable an organizational goal achievement while
simultaneously reproducing the HR base over a long-lasting calendar time
and controlling for self induced side and feedback effects on the HR systems
and thus on the company itself. The aim of this understanding of sustainable
HRM is value creation and sustainable competitive advantage, in other words
long-term corporate success. However, goal orientation involves more than
financial performance by including the objectives of employees and society
(Ehnert, 2009: 73).
There are several approaches that explain the relationships between HR and
sustainability. Sustainable work system, sustainable HRM, sustainable resource
management and strategic HRM are some of these approaches (Ehnert, 2006;
Ehnert, 2009). The main purpose of sustainable work systems is to understand
the mechanisms and processes leading to the exploitation or development of HR,
raising awareness on the negative side effects of human exploitation and work-
related health problems (Ehnert, 2009: 49). In addition, the main contributions
of this approach to sustainability are as follows (Ehnert, 2009: 59): control for
side effects of work intensity and avoid intensive work systems, rethink temporal
perspective of management, foster participation, support employees coping
with ambiguities and work intensity by fostering the corresponding skills and
by offering ‘experiences’, foster employee health, regeneration, well-being, and
development.
Sustainable work system approach accepts the detrimental effects of HR
developments, such as temporary employment, short term orientation, extreme
performance standards, work intensification, and ambiguous job roles on indi-
vidual well-being, organizational culture, family and community health and
satisfaction. A central concern of this approach is the development of HRM
practices leading to positive human/social consequences such as work-life
balance, organizational economic outcomes and sustainable change processes
(Docherty, Kira & Shani, 2009: 4; Kramar, 2014: 1077; Zink, 2014: 128).
Sustainable HRM, which is another approach that examines the relationship
between sustainability and HR, looks at sustainability with a win-win logic for
Decent Work: As a Strategy of HR Sustainability 183
organizations and employees. The main contributions of this approach to HR

sustainability are as follows: strengthen employee’s self-responsibility and partic-
ipation in decision-making, support employees’ employability, use HR develop-
ment, reward system, HR recruitment and HR marketing to make HRM more
sustainable, work–life balance, flexible working time, sabbaticals, HR care, trust-
sensitive leadership, participation of employees in decision-making processes
(Ehnert, 2009: 59).
According to Ehnert (2009), the objectives of the sustainable resource man-
agement approach are based on a causal explanation for the exchange relations
between organisations and their environment and develop a general theoretical
approach to dealing with scarce resources. The main contributions of this ap-
proach to HR sustainability are as follows: rethink role of HRM and notion of
strategic success, balance duality of efficiency and sustainability, rethink under-
standing of HR base and invest in it, investment in employability of HR and
in ‘sources of resources’ (families, schools, labourmarkets), respect ‘specific
conditions of development, reproduction and regeneration’ of the ‘sources of
HR’, reduce feedback effects on sources of resources (Ehnert, 2009: 59).
Finally, among the research questions of strategic HRM, which is another ap-
proach related to sustainability, talent shortage externalities of HR deployment

and retrenchment, downsizing enhancing social legitimacy, ethics, assumption
that HR practices need to be more ‘sustainable’ issues are included (Ehnert,
2009: 49). The main contribution of strategic HRM is sustainability as a ‘decision
contributions paradigm’ for strategic HRM. (Ehnert, 2009: 59).
HR has an important role to play in creating a sustainable competitive
advantage. HR and business leaders define organizational effectiveness as
beyond the traditional financial outcomes, the needs of the future, and the
need for sustainability, including today (Boudreou & Ramstad, 2005:130).
Ehnert (2009: 62–67) provides three approaches to understanding the rela-
tionship between sustainability and HRM. These are responsibility-oriented,
an efficiency- and innovation-oriented, and a substance-oriented approaches.
According to responsibility-oriented approach, the performance of the orga-
nization is measured in terms of various metrics such as employee well-being,
community welfare and quality of life. The efficiency- and innovation-oriented
approach is based on efficiency and the objective of this approach is to reduce
consumption (and costs) or to increase the efficiency of resource exploitation
(and value creation) via innovation. And the approach to the substance-oriented
aims to protect the organization and, in particular, the HR of an organization, so
that the consumption and reproduction of resources ensures the future survival
of the institution.
184 Meryem Aybas
According to Ehnert (2006: 14) the main objectives of Sustainable HRM are

to balance the ambiguities and the duality of efficiency and sustainability over a
long-lasting calendar time, to sustain, develop, and reproduce an organization’s
human and social resource base e.g. with the help of mutual exchange
relationships, to evaluate and assess negative effects of HR activities on the HR
base and on the sources for HR.
Sustainability is important in terms of long-term good economics as well
as representing moral behaviour in organizations. Sustainability is rarely seen
in strategic HR plans, and its impact on strategic HRM has received little at-
tention. However, while organizations are increasingly adopting sustainability,
HR is needed (Boudreou & Ramstad, 2005:134). HR managers are responsible
for both contributing to the financial results of the organization and creating
value. For this they need to reduce labour costs at the same time and increase the
well-being of employees through work-life balance programs. This situation may
cause them to be distressed from time to time (Kramar, 2014: 1074). According
to Ehnert (2009), an important task on a macro level for sustainable HRM is to
find a new balance between consumption or exploitation and the reproduction
or development of future HR. On the other hand, on micro level sustainability
research shows that it is necessary to maintain people’s abilities, willingness to

perform, self-regulation skills, and health over time (Ehnert, 2009: 75).
HR function affects employees’ attrition behaviour, job satisfaction level,
organizational commitment and performance. All of these factors lead to sus-
tainability of the organizations in the long term (Mishra, Sarkar & Singh,
2013: 87).
Sustainability focuses on achieving business goals by meeting the expectations
of both employees and society. HR managers may find it difficult to promote
sustainable development within their organization. Applicable and concrete sus-
tainability includes the top management commitment and institutionalization
by employees (Mishra, Sarkar & Singh, 2013: 87).
3 HR Sustainability and Decent Work

Working conditions are becoming increasingly boring, dangerous or degrading
worldwide. Decent work defining a work that respects the human rights of the
worker is a necessary component of a strategy to eliminate multidimensional
poverty and is also an important aspect of human dignity. Full employment
and decent work objectives for all are central to both the United Nations and
the ILO. In addition, both organizations have developed a detailed standard
for full employment and decent work, and they are very compatible. Moreover,
both organizations have established numerous mechanisms for technical assis-

tance, monitoring and accountability for decent work (Frey & MacNaughton,
2016: 1–2).
The theme of work has never been central to the debate on sustainability,
except in a few references to working conditions and decent work. Since 1972,
the United Nations documents that underpin the actions of companies in the
area of sustainability, have addressed issues on the theme of work (e.g., job secu-
rity and stability, aspects of work health and safety, and contents of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and of the Declaration on Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work) (Bolis, Brunoro & Sznelwar, 2006: 1226).
The latest documents mention the concept of decent work, as such the cre-
ation of employment for men and women, the extension of social protection,
the promotion of social dialogue and the Fundamental Principles and Rights at
Work; and decent work covers four strategic pillars (Ghai, 2003): full and pro-
ductive employment, rights at work, social protection and the promotion of social
dialogue.
Sustainability policies cannot ignore social aspects. The existence of nega-
tive social impacts (in terms of poor working conditions and employment re-
lations) can also cause local people to feel helpless against environmental issues
and therefore to oppose sustainability policies. There is a reciprocal relationship
between work and sustainable development (Bolis et al. 2014: 1227).
Sustainable work is a vital factor in the transition towards global sustainability.
The term itself, as well as its relations to work content, working conditions, and
quality of life, is somewhat vague. Research in strategic HRM should also focus
on making a better contribution to societal debates about the opportunities and
problems of employment relations (Boxall, 2018: 25).
In the area of HRM, some researchers argue that the well-being and posi-
tive employment relationship in the academic HRM should turn into a central
priority. Contemporary HR practices have unintended consequences. However,
concerns about the ethical implications of the HR practices encouraging their
performance while ignoring their responsibilities to their employees have been
insufficient (Guest, 2017: 24). According to observations, there is a significant
threat to the well-being of employees in contemporary employment relations
such as job intensification, increasing technological control, increasing income
inequality and increasing precarious employment (Burchell, Sehnbruch, Piasna,
Agloni, 2013: 459; Boxall, 2018: 25–26).
In today’s business environment, flexible employment has led to the intro-
duction of contingency models that encourage temporary workers to focus on
zero-hour contracts and talents while neglecting other employees. On the other
186 Meryem Aybas
hand, talent management provides a rationale for increased inequality reflected

in the huge salaries of senior executives, while there are reimbursement increases
for the rest of the labour force (Guest, 2017: 23–24).
According to Boudreou and Ramstad (2005), the service-oriented HR para-
digm is combined with the traditional financial definition of organizational suc-
cess. Compliance with regulations, efficiency, effectiveness, customer satisfaction
are among the general objectives. However, the traditional HR service delivery
paradigm is also typically about how HR is linked to sustainability (Boudreou
& Ramstad, 2005:131). Decent work and sustainable oriented HR strategies are
closely related. For example, the ILO Declaration recommends the elimination
of child labour, forced or compulsory labour and employment discrimination,
and the promotion of free association and collective bargaining. In addition to,
according to the UN Global Compact, companies should protect internationally
declared human rights and ensure they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Decent work can be supported through HR programs such as performance man-
agement, selection and training in organizations. For example, these programs
reflect fair behaviour, respect for the rights of collective associations and work-
family balance, and reward not only economic performance but also community
participation or reduction of environmental emissions.

The decent work indicators on HR sustainability are as follows (Guthrie &
Farneti, 2008: 361): employment, labour/management relations, occupational
health and safety, training and education, diversity and equal opportunity.
Organizations create a just, equitable and healthy workforce and contribute
to the welfare of the external community. Thus, it provides human sustainability
(Mishra, Sarkar & Singh, 2013: 86). Decent work can be provided through HR
function. HR practices with a sustainable approach include employee well-being,
health and safety, work-life balance, diversity management, gender equality,
talent management, fair rewards, employee development, positive internal
communication, open dialogue and employee participation in society (Mishra,
Sarkar & Singh, 2013: 91).
According to Kramar (2014), some proposed measures to assess sustainable
HRM practices are already used in organizations. These measures include cli-
mate, well-being and work-life balance surveys, forecasting future demand, and
providing capabilities through workforce planning. However, the full implemen-
tation of a sustainable HRM approach requires that these measures be systemat-
ically adopted and form part of a broad HRM strategy.
The ILO Framework Work Indicators covers ten substantive elements
related to HRM policies corresponding to the four strategic pillars of the decent
work agenda as following: employment opportunities, adequate earnings and
productive work, decent working time, combining work, family and personal
life, work that should be abolished, stability and security of work, equal opportu-
nity and treatment in employment, safe work environment, social security, social
dialogue, employers’ and workers’ representation (ILO, 2018).
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has set several standards for sus-
tainability. Two of these six categories are related to sustainable HRM. These
are labour practices and decent work and Human Rights. Labour practices
and decent work include nine performance indicators that reflect quality
of work life and working environment. These indicators are mainly based
on the above-mentioned Decent Work agenda (Ehnert et al., 2016: 91). The
indicators included in GRI regarding sustainable HRM-Labour Practices and
Decent Work are as follows (Indicators Protocol Set Labour Practices & Decent
Work, 2018):
Employment
LA1 Total workforce by employment type, employment contract, and region
LA 2 Total number and rate of employee turnover by age group, gender, and
region.
LA 3 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to

temporary or part-time employees, by major operations.
Labour/Management Relations
LA4 Percentage of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements
LA5 Minimum notice period(s) regarding significant operational changes,
including whether it is specified in collective agreements.
FP3 Percentage of working time lost due to industrial disputes, strikes and/or
lock-outs, by country.
Occupational Health and Safety
LA6 Percentage of total workforce represented in formal joint management-
worker health and safety committees that help monitor and advise on
occupational health and safety programs
LA7 Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and
total number of work-related fatalities by region.
LA8 Education, training, counselling, prevention, and risk-control programs
in place to assist workforce members, their families, or community members
regarding serious diseases.
LA9 Health and safety topics covered in formal agreements with trade unions.
Health and safety topics covered in formal agreements with trade unions.
Training and Education
LA10 Average hours of training per year per employee by employee category.
188 Meryem Aybas
LA11 Programs for skills management and lifelong learning that support the
continued employability of employees and assist them in managing career
endings.
LA12 Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career
development reviews.
Diversity and Equal Opportunity
LA13 Composition of governance bodies and breakdown of employees per
category according to gender, age group, minority group membership, and
other indicators of diversity.
LA14 Ratio of basic salary of men to women by employee category.
Another category of GRI related to sustainability is human rights. The social per-
formance indicators related to this are as follows (Ehnert et al., 2016: 97):
Investment and procurement practices

HR1 Percentage and total number of significant investment agreements that
include human rights clauses or that have undergone human rights screening
HR2 Percentage of significant suppliers and contractors that have undergone
screening on human rights and actions taken.

Non-discrimination
HR4 Total number of incidents of discrimination and actions taken
Freedom of association and collective bargaining
HR5 Operations identified in which the right to exercise freedom of
association and collective bargaining may be at significant risk, and actions
taken to support these rights.
Child labour
HR6 Operations identified as having significant risk for incidents of child
labour, and measures taken to contribute to the elimination of child labour
Forced and compulsory labour
HR7 Operations identified as having significant risk for incidents of forced or
compulsory labour, and measures to contribute to the elimination of forced or
compulsory labour
4 Conclusion
Today HR sustainability has received little interest in the organization. However,
with Industry 4.0, highly-qualified labour is becoming increasingly impor-
tant and unskilled labour lose their importance. In this case, sustainability
will increase not only in business organizations, but also in society as a whole.
Although there is a growing attention to global codes of labour practices in

improving working conditions in global production, how and why it has been
systematically analysed so far has been limited (Barrientos & Smith, 2007: 716).
The use of GRI standards may be useful for organizations to measure and report
sustainable HRM practices.
Decent work can be supported through HR functions and practices such
as performance management, selection and training in organizations. These
include employee well-being, health and safety, work-life balance, diversity
management, gender equality, talent management, fair rewards, employee devel-
opment, positive internal communication, open dialogue and employee par-
ticipation in society. All these practices and approaches are consistent with the
principles of the concept of decent work. Sustainable HRM can then be used to
achieve decent work.
References
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Bolis, I., Brunoro, C. M., & Sznelwar, L. I. (2014). Mapping the relationships
between work and sustainability and the opportunities for ergonomic action.
Applied Ergonomics, 45(4), 1225–1239.
Boudreau, J. W., & Ramstad, P. M. (2005). Talentship, talent segmentation,
and sustainability: A new HR decision science paradigm for a new strategy
definition. Human Resource Management: Published in Cooperation with the
School of Business Administration, The University of Michigan and in alliance
with the Society of Human Resources Management, 44(2), 129–136.
Boxall, P. (2018). The development of strategic HRM: reflections on a 30-year
journey. Labour & Industry: A Journal of the Social and Economic Relations of
Work, 28(1), 21–30.
Burchell, B., Sehnbruch, K., Piasna, A., & Agloni, N. (2013). The quality of
employment and decent work: definitions, methodologies, and ongoing
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Meryem Aybas

Decent Work: As a Strategy of HR

2005:130). In today’s competitive environment, HR are consumed and exploited

organizations and employees. The main contributions of this approach to HR

proach related to sustainability, talent shortage externalities of HR deployment

According to Ehnert (2006: 14) the main objectives of Sustainable HRM are

research shows that it is necessary to maintain people’s abilities, willingness to

3 HR Sustainability and Decent Work

both organizations have established numerous mechanisms for technical assis-

hand, talent management provides a rationale for increased inequality reflected

participation or reduction of environmental emissions.

LA 3 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to

Investment and procurement practices

screening on human rights and actions taken.

Although there is a growing attention to global codes of labour practices in

Quarterly, 28(4), 713–729.

Ehnert, I. (2009). Sustainable Human Resource Management: A Conceptual and

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Management and Organization Various Approaches - (Decent Work As A Strategy of HR Sustainability)

Uploaded by

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Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

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Did you find this document useful?

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Management and Organization Various Approaches - (Decent Work As A Strategy of HR Sustainability)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Meryem Aybas

Decent Work: As a Strategy of HR

2005:130). In today’s competitive environment, HR are consumed and exploited

organizations and employees. The main contributions of this approach to HR

proach related to sustainability, talent shortage externalities of HR deployment

According to Ehnert (2006: 14) the main objectives of Sustainable HRM are

research shows that it is necessary to maintain people’s abilities, willingness to

3 HR Sustainability and Decent Work

both organizations have established numerous mechanisms for technical assis-

hand, talent management provides a rationale for increased inequality reflected

participation or reduction of environmental emissions.

LA 3 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to

Investment and procurement practices

screening on human rights and actions taken.

Although there is a growing attention to global codes of labour practices in

Quarterly, 28(4), 713–729.

Ehnert, I. (2009). Sustainable Human Resource Management: A Conceptual and

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Meryem Aybas

3 HR Sustainability and Decent Work