It is Not Easy to be Green: Towards Understanding the Factors Influencing the Employees’ Engagement in Multiple Pro-Environmental Behaviors

The integration of Green Human Resource Management into organizational environmental management has increasingly gained attention as a significant topic in academic research, and the impact of GHRM on individual and organizational outcomes has received increasing attention. Despite the existence of these studies, there is still a paucity of research about a conceptual model that considers the national differences and underlying individual differences linking GHRM to employees’ engagement in multiple pro-environmental behaviors. In view of such gaps, this paper proposes a conceptual model of GHRM using the ability-motivation-opportunity framework, open-system theory, theory of reasoned action, and theory of planned behavior as theoretical foundations. The model identifies societal factors, including economic policy, cultural orientation, and level of development, as well as organizational green orientation, such as organizational green culture, green activities, and available green resources, as antecedents of GHRM practices. The proposed model also includes eight indicators of GHRM, including green selective staffing, green training, and green participation in decision-making. Additionally, the paper discusses how this framework connects GHRM practices to employees’ engagement in multiple green behaviors, such as Green formal behavior, Green Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (GOCB), and Green Interpersonal Citizenship Behaviour (GICB), through the mediating role of employee green attitude. This paper contributes to the theoretical understanding of GHRM and suggests avenues for future research.