Implementing green HRM practices in an emerging country: Insights from managerial and nonmanagerial employees across various industries

Abstract

Implementing green mechanisms has been mandatory to save the environment and for greater organizational profitability, reputation, and eventually competitive advantage in the dynamic and open market. However, employees are the catalysts in implementing green mechanisms, which are diverse and sophisticated; thus, the implementation process includes numerous challenges that are not explored from managerial and nonmanagerial perspectives in the current literature. Drawing on resource‐based theory, this particular qualitative study explores the challenges faced by managerial and nonmanagerial employees working in the Malaysian automotive, electrical and electronics, and construction industries in implementing green human resource management (GHRM) practices. Using a qualitative approach, data were obtained from 48 face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews. Thematic analysis using NVivo 12 revealed 16 challenges that hinder the implementation of GHRM practices in Malaysian companies. We classified these challenges into three categories: high, moderate, and low. However, the main challenges were the lack of focus on the environment, difficulties in educating employees at different levels, a priority on progress/productivity neglecting the environment, the influence of external forces and the cost of going green. The study has discussed the implications of its findings for both theory and practice, followed by arguments on research limitations and future directions.