Preparation and Execution of Green HRM

                           How to prepare organizations for Green HRM

1.      Human Resource Policies to Focus on Sustainability

Without HR policies that value sustainability, green HR management approaches will not be implemented (Ababneh, 2021). Instances of such policies can be seen in the following:

a.      'Bring Your Own Mug' policies, energy-efficient office equipment, and public transportation or walking incentives are all examples of green office initiatives.

b.     In addition to recycling and the use of recycled materials, other green office initiatives include creating staff committees to plan and execute sustainability projects and rewarding and recognizing employees for their environmental efforts both at work and in their personal lives. 

                                             

2.      Incentives for Eco-Friendly Actions

According to research, green compensation and performance appraisals are one of the best methods to get employees on board with a company's green HR efforts. This would be one of the best ways to recruit. This area includes water and power efficiency, waste minimization, and environmentally friendly product choices (Matheus Koengkan et al., 2023).

Businesses can encourage environmentally responsible behaviour by offering incentives for green projects. This action shows that they are committed to sustainability, interested in supporting environmentally friendly approaches, and ready to develop their operations in a way that values both people and the environment (Joseph and Jose, 2024).

They support ecologically friendly forms of transportation like carpooling, bicycles, and public transit by offering financial incentives. An organization might reward staff who participate in energy audits and other energy-saving activities with gift cards. They may even pay for membership in environmental organizations! Suppose you had infinite choices; which would you pick? (Matheus Koengkan et al., 2023)

3.  Learning and Development

Learning and development is a branch of HR that intends to improve productivity by helping workers acquire technical or soft skills. Efforts that are beneficial to both the company and the environment are all part of this(Darling-Hammond et al., 2020). 

Working remotely has become more convenient as a result of the rising digitalization of life, which is helping to promote environmental consciousness by lowering emissions. This is a great chance to rally the troops and get them involved in the company's green initiatives (Mann et al., 2022). If managers are willing to put themselves in the shoes of their subordinates, the rest of the staff will have an easier time following their lead (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020).

Promoting sustainability, which may play a big role in employee development, can be done in a number of ways(Darling-Hammond et al., 2020). One is to distribute a newsletter that details the latest eco-friendly workplace solutions. Another is to host seminars with green influencers to educate people about the topic.

How to Implement Green HR Management

You now know that green HR management can help your company reduce its environmental impact, boost productivity, and save money all at the same time. A fresh plan, which you should establish immediately, can help your company's bottom line and the environment (Ahmed et al., 2021).

After careful planning and implementation, green HR management may eventually become second nature to your business. Some examples of environmentally friendly HR management techniques are as follows:

Encourage your staff to take the bus, walk, bike, or ride their bikes instead of driving if they wish to avoid driving alone. There are several ways to save money on public transit. Safe and free bicycle parking and carpooler discounts are examples. Partnerships with local businesses might help you save money at local bike stores.

Create flexible work schedules for your staff. These arrangements may reduce carbon emissions by lowering work commutes. There are several ways to help, including this. Even on days when meetings aren't possible, virtual alternatives can reduce emissions (Ahmed et al., 2021).

Sustainable activities include promoting sustainable practices, buying recyclable or environmentally friendly office supplies and equipment, and encouraging employees to use digital formats to reduce paper use and compost food waste. If you want to decrease the amount of paper in your firm, these apps may be the answer!

Reduce the office's energy use. If you discover that there isn't enough light during the day, choose energy-efficient light bulbs that last longer and use less power. You should only print when necessary and turn off gadgets when they're not being used (Benevene and Buonomo, 2020).

Put educational information about recycling in highly frequented areas, behind recycling bins, and other frequently utilized spots to incorporate recycling into your working practices. Be careful to mark everything precisely, and you should be fine (Benevene and Buonomo, 2020). Workers who help out may even be rewarded!

Employees ought to be taught about sustainable development and encouraged to participate in company-wide sustainability initiatives (Benevene and Buonomo, 2020). The company's progress towards sustainable development targets should be communicated to shareholders, and an award should be given to the most consistent team.

A great (and fun!) way to get workers thinking about ways they might reduce their impact on the environment is to host a workplace sustainability competition. This is all that needs to be considered: Make sure the rules are implemented consistently and fairly, set realistic and clear goals for the competition, and offer enough money or other incentives to get employees involved (Ahmed et al., 2021).

Using the right tools is also crucial for making an impression. You may make "green" maintenance modifications, like turning off the heat in unused rooms, thanks to an app that lets you see the floor plan interactively and see real-time occupancy and availability statistics (Benevene and Buonomo, 2020)

Would you be willing to implement HR rules that prioritize the environment? Very well! Obtain buy-in from upper management and conduct a needs assessment to identify problem areas before you launch into the implementation of greener procedures. The planet is behind you, and so are we. 

References

•      Ababneh, O.M.A. (2021). How do green HRM practices affect employees’ green behaviors? The role of employee engagement and personality attributes. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, [online] 64(7), pp.1–23. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2020.1814708.

•      Ahmed, M., Guo, Q., Qureshi, M.A., Raza, S.A., Khan, K.A. and Salam, J. (2021). Do green HR practices enhance green motivation and proactive environmental management maturity in hotel industry? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, p.102852. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102852.

•      Benevene, P. and Buonomo, I. (2020). Green Human Resource Management: An Evidence-Based Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, 12(15), p.5974. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155974.

•      Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B. and Osher, D. (2020). Implications for Educational Practice of the Science of Learning and Development. Applied Developmental Science, [online] 24(2), pp.1–44. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791.

•      Joseph, A. and Jose, N. (2024). The Role of Incentives in Fostering Green Behaviour Among the Emerging Workforce. [online] www.igi-global.com. Available at: https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/the-role-of-incentives-in-fostering-green-behaviour-among-the-emerging-workforce/342760 [Accessed 31 Mar. 2024].

•      Mann, J., Gray, T., Truong, S., Brymer, E., Passy, R., Ho, S., Sahlberg, P., Ward, K., Bentsen, P., Curry, C. and Cowper, R. (2022). Getting Out of the Classroom and Into Nature: A Systematic Review of Nature-Specific Outdoor Learning on School Children’s Learning and Development. Frontiers in Public Health, 10(10).

•      Matheus Koengkan, José Alberto Fuinhas, Radulescu, M., Emad Kazemzadeh, Nooshin Karimi Alavijeh, Santiago, R. and Teixeira, M. (2023). Assessing the Role of Financial Incentives in Promoting Eco-Friendly Houses in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area—Portugal. Energies, 16(4), pp.1839–1839. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041839.