Engaging HR managers with the sustainable development goals: toward common-good HRM

Abstract

Purpose – The concept of common-good HRM emerged in 2020. Through a review of the literature on the subject, this study shows that empirical research is still sparse and several fundamental questions remain unanswered, thus prompting further investigation. The aim of this study is to answer the following research questions: What are the key common-good HRM practices? What are the antecedents of common-good HRM? What are the outcomes of common-good HRM? Design/methodology/approach – This study addresses the above questions by qualitatively analyzing interviews with 11 Polish HR managers. Findings – The results indicate key common-good practices such as the development of HR potential, facilitating employees' activism, offering decent and meaningful work, promoting diversity and inclusion and fostering employees' well-being. Additionally, this study identified several antecedents of common-good HRM: social pressure, regulatory support, culture and role models. The outcomes are categorized into organizational (e.g. reputation), employee-related (e.g. motivation) and external stakeholder-related (e.g. quality of collaboration) results. Originality/value – This study contributes to the understanding of the emerging common-good HRM concept. It may act as a useful resource for future empirical research, whose aim can be developing and validating a scale for measuring the level of implementation of common-good HRM in a company. It also provides guidelines on possible variables that may be tested as antecedents and outcomes of common-good HRM in future quantitative research.