Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Journal of Cleaner Production

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jclepro

Green employee empowerment: The missing linchpin between green HRM

and sustainable organizational performance
Muhammad Hamza Khan *, Syaharizatul Noorizwan Muktar
Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Johor Bahru, 81310, Malaysia

ARTICLE INFO

Handling Editor: Cecilia Maria Villas Boas ˆ de Almeida.

Keywords:
Green human resource management Sustainable organizational performance Green
employee empowerment
Healthcare sector
Mixed method

harmful for the people and the environment. The waste contributes to
1. Introduction climate change by releasing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2016, the
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, environmental issues are gaining significant consider ation
from organizations, communities and government bodies (Michaelowa
Healthcare waste is one of the prime issues that occur all around the globe,
et al., 2022; Siyambalapitiya et al., 2018). Implementation of proper
including Pakistan. The waste generated from the hospitals degrades the
environment, spreads toxic diseases which impacts the employees as well as the
environmental plans is increasing and corporations are now being
hospital performance. To overcome this issue and to enhance hospital held answerable for the environmental issues generated by their
performance, this study draws attention towards the green side of human operations(Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour, 2013; Koberg and Lon
resource management to generate green behaviour among hospitals employees goni, 2019). These operations include unsustainable use of natural re
and to improve sustainable performance of the hospitals. The objective of this sources and improper waste disposal(R. L. Singh and Singh, 2017;
study was specifically to see how green HRM practices can contribute in Siyambalapitiya et al., 2018). Examples of environmental issues are
improving sustainable organizational performance of Pakistani hospitals. An global warming, the depletion of the ozone layers, air pollution and
important intervening factor green employee empowerment is suggested, the generation of toxic medical waste(Kaza and Yao, 2018; Neale et
connecting green HRM with sustainable organizational performance in the light al., 2021; Soutter and Mottus, ˜ 2020). According to (UNEP, 2015) the
of two lenses: Ability, Motivation, Opportunity (AMO) and Social Exchange gen eration of waste is a universal dilemma and its improper
Theory (SET). To determine the mass of the intervening factor, this study used
management is
mixed
method approach. The quantitative approach used to see potential intervening
mechanism and relationship between variables by structural equation modelling
technique. The qualitative approach (i.e., Interviews) used to have a richer view * Corresponding author.
of the data analyses. The qualitative data analysis provided additional support to E-mail address: [email protected] (M.H. Khan).
the quantitative part. The quantitative data of 547 hospital managers through
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139812
questionnaires followed by 11 semi structured interviews from public sector
generation amount was 1.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide and is ex
hospitals of Pakistan were conducted. Quantitative data was analysed through
pected to increase 2.6 billion tons by 2050(WorldBankGroup, 2018).
SMART PLS 3.0.9 and qualitative data was analysed through NVIVO12. Thus, the
The awareness regarding environmental issues compelled various or
findings revealed that green HRM practices are positively related to sustainable
organizational performance and green employee empowerment mediates the
ganizations to strive for green management and production practices
relationship between green HRM and sop. Consequently, qualitative data findings and to become environmentally and socially responsible by integrating
revealed that themes of green HRM and green employee empowerment were environmental management into their organizational models(Malik et
explaining sustainable organiza al., 2020; Ren, Tang, & E. Jackson, 2018).Various approaches are used
tional performance. by organizations to address and mitigate environmental issues such as
green operations (Zhu et al., 2008), green supply chain (Charbel Jos´e
 Chiappetta Jabbour and de Sousa Jabbour, 2016), green accounting human resource management is seen as bottom line for effective
and finance(Maama and Appiah, 2019), green marketing (Chan et al., successful
2012). However among various approaches that firms are using, green

Received 27 December 2022; Received in revised form 7 May 2023; Accepted 16 November 2023
Available online 30 November 2023
0959-6526/© 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar green human resource management in order to preserve the environ
ment and to make environment friendly working place(Jackson et al.,
execution of green strategies and environmental management 2011; Ren et al., 2018). According to (Jackson, 2012; Jackson et al.,
practices, this is because it is the HR that hires, selects and trains 2011; D. Renwick et al., 2008) the principal aim of green HRM is to
employees regarding green issues (Charbel Jose Chiapetta Jabbour and boost organizational environmental performance. Environmental per
Renwick, 2018; Malik et al., 2021; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013) and the formance is the commitment of the corporation to care the
fact is that to go green lies in the behaviour of individuals and environment in such a way that its business processes are aligned with
changing employee’s behaviour to green behaviour to aim for greener in the given boundaries of the environmental protection and reduction
organizational per in the harmful substances and diminution of the solid wastes(Daily
formance is not an easy task (see Table 10). Bonnie, 2012; S. Roscoe, N. Subramanian, C. J. C. Jabbour, & T.
The concept of triple bottom line measures organizational perfor Chong, 2019b)
mance beyond the conventional performance measures like profit Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
maximization, return on equity and indicates other two performance
measures such as environmental performance and social performance and it is also considered to be one of the most important performance
(N. Hussain et al., 2018). The main function of triple bottom line gages apart from financial perspectives(Schaltegger and Wagner, 2006)
concept is to make organizations aware of the social and whereas social performance tells us about sustaining and enlightening
environmental values (Elkington, 1997; Henriques and Richardson, the current state of the people and the coming generations by
2013). To measure sus tainable organizational performance based on improved quality of life and minimizing the social gap(Sayyadi
social performance and environmental performance the triple bottom Tooranloo, Azadi and Sayyahpoor, 2017). The roots of green HRM lies
line concept can be applied(Fauzi et al., 2010). This is because the in the idea of merging sustainability in firm activities and decision
notion “sustainability” has become increasingly vital for organizational making (Howard-Grenville et al., 2014). Sustainability concept
operations, for example (Jackson and Seo, 2010) insisted on need for emerged first in 1987 in Brundtland Report which defined
the involvement of green human resource management in sustainability as “develop
sustainability. Similar concept has been assisted from multiple ment that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
researchers(Jonker and Karapetrovic, 2004; Nejati et al., 2017; Van ability of future generations to meet their own needs” In addition to
Marrewijk and Werre, 2003) suggesting that the goal of an this, an Agenda 2030 is given which strives for 17 sustainable
organization is to create harmony between social, environ mental and development goals to inspire societies, institutions and countries
economic domains, which finally improve sustainable organizational towards the concept of sustainability(Oliveira et al., 2020; SDG,
performance(Rasi et al., 2014). Without doubt, the effect of 2018). Out of these 17 sus
organizations activities on the environment is a viable issue and tainable development goals, goal 3 draw attention towards the impor
require green practices to enhance the economic, environmental and tance of healthcare sector which includes the increase in budget in
social performance. Today, corporations perform their operations in healthcare sector, recruitment, training, development and retention of
highly competitive international markets, and striving for modern sus healthcare staff in developing countries to reduce environmental risks,
tainable practices and solutions(Bombiak and Marciniuk-Kluska, 2018; better hospital performance and managing global health risks(Brundt
Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, Jabbour, Teixeira and Freitas, 2012). landReport, 1988; SDG, 2018). The core aim of the sustainable devel
It is also a necessity for the organizations to make greater efforts in opment goals 2018 is to put efforts in reducing waste generated from
creating an equilibrium in their social environmental and economic the heath sector and to enhance the sustainability performance of the
performance. Sustainability is now a necessary agenda for the policy hos pitals. The environmental initiatives now cover a vast range of
makers and managers to protect the natural environment and its business operations like green marketing, green accounting, green
ecological systems. But managing the organizational environmental is supply chain (Ren et al., 2018) but all this begins with firms HR who
sues is a relatively multifaceted job therefore for the corporations it engage hire, select and develop people in relation to green initiatives,
can be considered as a challenge(R. Dubey et al., 2015; Islam et al., therefore green
2020). For the corporations to overcome this challenge and to attain HRM arise as a leading novel concept (D. Renwick et al., 2008).
sustain ability it is necessary for them to organize their human Pakistan generates a total of 71000 tons of solid waste per day and
resources in chasing green goals. This can be achieved by intersecting waste is not properly handled and disposed(Khatri et al., 2021), more
environment management with the human resource over as far as hospital waste is concerned Pakistan generate about
management(Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour et al., 2012; Charbel 450000 tons of waste/year (W. Hameed et al., 2022)which is
Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour, Santos and Nagano, 2010; Moraes Silvana impacting the sustainable performance of the hospitals and it is a
de et al., 2019; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). Green HRM has arisen as threat to envi ronment and local community in Pakistan, and proper
modern HRM systems that in tegrates environmental management with maintenance and environmental training of hospital staff is needed(W.
HRM functions to enhance organizational performance(Mousa and Hameed et al., 2022). Accidents while handling and due to less
Othman, 2020). Environmental issues are the most significant knowledge about green practices and conventional training among the
management challenge where the orga nizations looking to find ways healthcare staff is a serious problem in Pakistan healthcare sector. The
to decrease the environmental impact of their operations and to environment degra dation due to low hospital performance is
enhance sustainable performance. spreading different kinds of environmental pollution like degrading air
The term green human resource management is a modern approach to quality, effects on water quality and land pollution(W. Hameed et al.,
understand the human resource functions and to intersect environ 2022; Khatri et al., 2021). The sustainable performance issue in the
mental management in the sub zones of the human resource manage healthcare sector of Pakistan can be mitigated through the
ment, that is hiring, selecting, developing and evaluating, hence implementation of green HRM practices. Since the healthcare sector in
environment friendly human resource functions(Bombiak and Pakistan is still developing and the present government is committed
Marciniuk-Kluska, 2018; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). The firms need to ensure sustainable development goals to uplift the health care
 sector Pakistan needs to take further step to consider environmental studied green HRM with Organizational citizenship behavior to
criteria apart from economic criteria. Majority of the authors and their environment, Song et al. (2020) worked on determining the effects of
studies considers the potential of green HRM concept to positively GHRM and environmental concerns in relation to green innovation
influence sustainable performance. A plethora of works have been Yes¸iltas¸ et al. (2022) worked the green organizational culture and
conducted on constructs like organization citizenship behavior for the employee green behavior between green and non-green hotels and
environment, employee green behavior, green employee engagement, concluded that green organizational culture impact green employee
environmental orientation, environmental knowledge (Benn et al., behavior through green HRM and no doubt these works provided
2015; Iqbal et al., 2018; Pham et al., 2019; Safari et al., 2018) and useful insights, however to identify potential links between green
most recent works like of Davis et al. (2020) linking green HRM with HRM and performance that how and why the process of green HRM
ecological behaviour, S. K. Singh et al. (2020) worked on green influences green performance remains unclear. The reviews by
innovation and environmental performance and the role of green (Benevene and
leaderships, Anwar et al. (2020) targeted university employees and

2
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar performance.
Similarly, Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour (2013) also share the
Buonomo, 2020; Macke and Genari, 2019; Ren et al., 2018; D. W. same idea and stress on the importance of planned and systematic
Renwick et al., 2013; Tariq et al., 2016; J. Yong et al., 2019) identified amalgamation of basic HRM functions with the environmental targets
potential intervening mechanism, employee empowerment to green of the organization. However in contrast to the above arguments
initiatives as a major theoretical gap in explaining how green HRM scholars like H. H. D. N. P. Opatha and Hewapathirana (2019) and
impacts sustainable organizational performance. Therefore, this study Mazur (2014) considers green HRM to part of sustainable HRM. For
theoretically and empirically contributes to the green HRM in such a example, H. H. D. N. P. Opatha and Hewapathirana (2019) pointed
way that it incorporates green employee empowerment as potential out that GHRM is that dimension of sustainable HRM which deals with
intervening mechanism between green HRM and performance based on planet related phe
these calls. Beside this, the current study links green HRM and perfor nomena, people related phenomena, and revenue related phenomena
mance grounded on two theoretical lenses. The ability, motivation, and it desires to boost environmental, social and economic
opportunity lens which say that developing green abilities, motivations performance of the organization by managing employees though
and opportunities provided to employees lead to performance, and policies, practices
system of green HR reflects the vision, goals and the strategic impor Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
tance of environment to all employees working in the organization
therefore green HRM practices will also influence sustainable perfor and procedures related to sustainability. Mazur (2014) also proposed
mance of the organization. Social exchange paradigm, that provides that GHRM is the domain of sustainable HRM which focuses on saving
the importance of reciprocal behaviors and helps in explaining the phe planet by hiring potential employees through green branding. Besides,
nomena of green employee empowerment in understating green HRM these definitions there is a common clause in both the domains that is
and performance link, thus this study empirically tests relationships safeguarding and protecting the nearby physical environment through
and theories from the green context moving a step forward by effective HR practices from green lens.
integrating two lenses which previous works lacked in a developing The study of Kramar (2014) indicates that the concept of
country like Pakistan and in an important sector. Based on the gap the sustainable HRM includes multiple terms that associate human
study has the following research objectives. resource with sus tainability. These terms consist of green leadership,
work systems that are sustainability centered, managing the human
1. To investigate the relationship of green HRM practices and sustain resource with sus tainable management and to make a corporation
able organizational performance among public sector hospitals in inclined towards building social and human capital(Kramar, 2014). In
Pakistan. view of all that has been mentioned so far, the major difference
2. To determine the relationship of green HRM practices and green between both the concepts is that GHRM exclusively looks for
employee empowerment among public sector hospitals in Pakistan. 3. developing employee green behavior and attitude, giving voice to
To investigate the relationship of green employee empowerment and employees in performing green tasks, strives for green organizational
sustainable organizational performance among public sector hospi performance as D. W. Renwick et al. (2013) and Charbel Jos´e
tals in Pakistan Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos (2008) high lighted and sustainable
4. To determine the mediating effect of green employee empowerment HRM looks for retaining employees, emphasize more on economic
on relationship between green HRM practices and sustainable performance of the organization, employees sus tainability goals
organizational performance in public sector hospitals in Pakistan. achievement and revenue related works. This section has attempted to
provide a brief summary of the literature relating to green HRM.
2. Literature review In the light of these point of views, the study describes green HRM
as those potential practices that are believed to reduce the
Concepts relating to green human resource management exists in environmental issues in the organization like green recruitment and
the literature. Various scholars have defined this novel paradigm by selection, green training and development and green performance
relating it to environmental management, green management, appraisals and there is growing need to combine HRM with
sustainable HRM (E. Cohen et al., 2012; Ehnert et al., 2016) and environmental management to achieve environmental objectives(Ren
corporate social re et al., 2018; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). This is because all HRM
sponsibility(Susan E. Jackson, Randall S. Schuler and Kaifeng Jiang, functions have the ability of becoming green HRM functions, resulting
2014; Kramar, 2014). Shah (2019) considers that greening every func in an ecologically friendly employees and green organizational
tion of HR encompass green job design, green induction and selection, structure, both of which are fundamental to an organization’s
green training and development, green premiums and compensation, environmental performance. Green HRM transforms an organization’s
and motivational aspects to boost green behaviour of employees. Shah personnel into eco-friendly individuals who help mini mize waste,
(2019) further supported the claims of D. W. Renwick et al. (2013) lowering the organization’s total expenditures. They also have a
who considered this concept as integrating the environmental proclivity for developing ecologically friendly products or ser
management and HRM functions to combat environmental issues, for vices. As a consequence, the organization’s efficiency, recruitment,
example hiring and selecting employees based on environmental employee satisfaction, image, customer commitment, and market
knowledge, designing green jobs that consider environmental issues, growth are improved, resulting in increased organizational success.
green/environmental training of staff, evaluating the performance of Without a structure or processes, firms cannot practise green HRM.
employees based on their fulfilment of green tasks and giving financial HRM functions provide proper mechanisms and methods for
and non-financial grants to employees related to environmental implementing green HRM in an organization.
 The following section will elaborate the three most important di
mensions of the GHRM which are green recruitment and selection, Generally, recruitment and selection in any organization target
green training and selection and green performance appraisal and candidates who can well perform job duties and have the potential to
rewards. Based on a comprehensive literature review the current study contribute to performance among pool of candidates(Ramasamy,
is using three important GHRM practices such as green recruitment 2017). However, to create and sustain a workplace that is
and selec tion, green training and development, green performance environmentally sound, the organizations require to select and hire
appraisal and rewards. On the other hand, some of studies were also candidates who cares and are concerned about the environment and
related to green employee commitment, green employee behaviour shows higher environ
but the current study uses those green practices which are were used mental commitment in solving environmental problems and accom
by prominent scholars in green HRM scholarship and these practices plishing environmental objectives of the corporation(Charbel Jos´e
have the efficacy in dispersing green ideologies and generating Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos, 2008; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013).
environmental centered culture within the organizations. Green recruitment and selection is considered as an influential element

2.1. Green recruitment and selection

3
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar work such as balancing metrics and feedback related to environment as
gauge to appraise employees performance which allows the organiza
in green HRM practices(Yusoff and Nejati, 2019) and these practices tions to achieve its environmental objectives and environmental per
desire to recruit potential employees with environmental awareness formance(Jackson et al., 2011; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013; Zibarras
and environmental knowledge, engaging candidates using green and Coan, 2015). Because past studies have emphasized the scope of
branding and preferring a pool of those candidates who wish to join research on green appraisal and environmental policies(D. W. Renwick
organizations on the basics of green criteria and creating awareness in et al., 2013). Basically, green performance management generates
the employees during the recruitment process about organizational green performance indicators to evaluate all staff in relation to green
environmental goals(G. Tang et al., 2018). To have an enhanced criteria which includes environmental accidents and incidents,
environmental per reducing of waste and Co2 emissions, communicating to
formance, organization may lift their vision and attract green environmental issues, pro-environment policies, setting a framework
candidates and future study requires to address the problems on and green targets for employees as well as for managers, assessment of
attracting green employees in achieving organizational environmental employees after environmental training and consistent feedback to all
objectives (Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, 2011; D. W. Renwick et al., staffs to accom plish environmental objectives(Arulrajah and Opatha,
2016; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). 2016; Jackson
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
2.2. Green training and development
et al., 2011; Jackson and Seo, 2010; Masri and Jaaron, 2017; Nejati et
Traditional training equips the employees with enhanced skills and al., 2017; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013; Saeed et al., 2019; G. Tang et al.,
knowledge and inspires them to be innovative(Liebowitz, 2010). How 2018).
ever, due to increase in environmental issues, organizations are now Based on regular audit the employees who accomplish green tasks
willing to groom employees by providing them green training which are awarded with monetary and non-monetary inducements and these
will enable them to obtain certain skills in improving environmental green rewards appeal, inspire and encourage employees to contribute
profile and goals of the firms(Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, 2011; D. W. more towards environmental objectives (Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jab
Renwick et al., 2013; Silva Marco Antonio Batista, Costa Priscila bour, 2013). According to Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and
Rezende and Kniess Claudia, 2019; G. Tang et al., 2018). Green Santos (2008) and D. W. Renwick et al. (2013) compensations and
training is the most powerful practice which enables an organization incentives are the most dominant tools to align the interest of
to accomplish its environmental goals and transform towards a more employees with that of organization’s than other HRM practices.
sustainable corpo ration(Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour, 2013; Sustainable organizations use this tool to reward employees for the
Teixeira et al., 2012). Benefit from green training and development ecological performance (D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). Some of the
results in refined infor mation about environmental problems and way rewards include, monetary incentives and tax cut (Arulrajah and
of tackling thus leading to improved environmental performance(Daily Opatha, 2016; Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos, 2008; G.
Bonnie, 2012; Had dock-Millar et al., 2015; Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Tang et al., 2018), travelling allowances (Jackson et al., 2011; D. W.
Jabbour, 2013; Raw ashdeh, 2018; D. W. Renwick et al., 2016). Renwick et al., 2013), extra bonus wage for the workers meeting
This is because merely innovation in the technology is not enough ecological targets(Nejati et al., 2017), and rewards and gifts on
to raise environmental performance, environmental training is suggesting the environmental innovation methods(Shoeb Ahmad,
imperative in greening the organizations in various 2015; Masri and Jaaron, 2017). In this way employees working in the
segments(Venselaar, 1995) and these segments comprises organization are motivated to perform green tasks more effec tively
manufacturing, service, and mining etc (Bonnie F Daily et al., 2007; and passionately(Shoaib et al., 2022).
Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, 2011; Sammalisto and Brorson, 2008). Green
training and development aim to train, educate employees in the 2.4. The need of empowerment concept
management of environment, knowledge management programs
regarding the environment, arrangement of workshops and training In today’s world, the firm’s outcome is contingent upon how it
sessions for recycling, disposal and management of toxic waste and to deals with the environmental issues(Jackson et al., 2011; Jackson and
engage employees in solving environmental problems (Charbel Jos´e Seo, 2010). Scholars like (Z. Hameed et al., 2020; D. W. Renwick et
Chiappetta Jabbour, 2013; Masri and Jaaron, 2017; Mousa and al., 2013; Tariq et al., 2016) argue that organizations must encourage,
Othman, 2020; D. Renwick et al., 2008; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013; G. empower employees to entwine green tasks and in this regard
Tang et al., 2018; Zoogah, 2011). managing employee for green tasks is crucial. The involvement of
employee is necessary for corporate social responsibility and it reflects
2.3. Green performance appraisal and rewards employee commitment (Ramachandran, 2011; Tariq et al., 2016).
Monetary rewards increases employee commitment(Tariq et al.,
Conventional measure of performance appraisal method was based on 2016). However only financial in
maximization of revenue and profits but future demands green per centives are not the solution but individual level dealing with
formance appraisal which potentially focus on firms and its employees employee is needed meaning thereby empowerment is the perfect
to fulfil green tasks(Ramasamy, 2017). Human resource professionals practice for the organizations(Tariq et al., 2016; Zhu and Sarkis,
can audit employees behavior and performance based on rating their 2004). This is because the financial incentive decreases the job strains
 but empowerment is a resourceful move to have noteworthy gains for improved performance, enhanced productivity and job satisfaction.
the organization and as the concept of green HR revolves around Since 1940s and 1950s the worker empowerment has been a famous
dealing with the environmental issues and greening HR functions subject under the paradigm of organizational behaviour, however
(Tariq et al., 2016). Both elements require green employee academics had diminutive success in studying management in this
empowerment and due to the multifaceted na approach. Brymer (1991) describes empowerment as the practice of
ture of greening the firms for accomplishing performance, there is to decision-making ability, where CEOs give responsibility to managers
need study green employee empowerment (Andersson et al., 2013; and they further give responsibility and freedom to the front-line
Dutta, 2012; Z. Hameed et al., 2020; Tariq et al., 2016). employees thus it works as a chain. Bowen and Lawler (1992)
presented a more transformed approach towards employee
2.5. Green employee empowerment empowerment. They called empowerment as information sharing with
the front-line workers about compensation and rewards based on the
Employee empowerment deals with worker level of freedom in organizational performance, emphasized on knowledge and giving
making decisions beyond formative regulations(Srinivasan and Kurey, power to workers to make choices that impact organizational
2014). According to Sashkin (1984) the concept of employee empow performance. Consequently, Wilkinson (1998) also pro
erment is not new in the field of management and has a span of 50 posed that employees working in the organizations acknowledge issue
years and when this concept is practised accurately it resulted in

4
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar successfully environmental management plans and moreover this
motivated workforce can be acquired by providing them authority to
and propose improvements if they are appointed to take action for perform green tasks(Tariq et al., 2016). For instance, the work of
enhancement. According to (Tariq et al., 2016) from the employee Christmann (2000) acknowledged that a compe tent work force with
perspective the empowerment deals with by some level of autonomy environmental knowledge and empowerment to perform green tasks
and giving them responsibility in decision making because they view results in gaining an edge over other firms. The study of Lee (2009)
prob also supported the claims of Christmann (2000). Moreover the work of
lems faced by an organization in a unique way but from an organiza (Carmona-Moreno, C´espedes-Lorente, and Martinez-del-Rio (2012)
tional point of view the employee empowerment is an administrative indicated and supported the above claims that organizations who
strategy which desires to provide employees the necessary tools and cooperate and assist their staff in achieving their
useful resources to make certain decisions in the workplace. For environmental goals are likely to get enhanced performance. Haden et
example, repairing and fixing equipment’s at the earliest, enhancement al. (2009) research found out that empowered employees are more
in the existing technology to perform their daily tasks more effectivity. committed to execute green tasks. Massoud et al. (2008) study showed
The employees working in an organization should be inspired, sup that participative work environment for employees, proper co
ported, and empowered to pursue environmental functions(Z. Hameed ordination and incentive system enhances green performance. Mandip
et al., 2020; Matthews et al., 2003). This is because environmental (2012) study proposed that management should motivate employees
issue have deep effects on organizations outcome(Jackson et al., 2011; for environmental performance, involve and participate them in green
Susan E Jackson, Randall S Schuler and Kaifeng Jiang, 2014). In order tasks and waste reduction mechanisms. The study of Harvey et al.
to meet the organizational objectives employee empowerment is (2013)
compulsory and when this empowerment is pursued to accomplish Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
green objectives it is termed as green employee empowerment(Tariq et
al., 2014; Tariq et al., 2016). The firms can make use of this concept, performed online survey in airline companies on green HRM and per
green employee empowerment as a strategic mechanism to encourage formance through pro-environmental behaviors and concluded that
staff to increase their competency level and meaningfulness(Z. both direct and indirect effects contribute to performance. The direct
Hameed et al., 2020; Laschinger et al., 2004; Tariq et al., 2016). effects include green selection, green training and giving rewards
Giving opportunities and empowering them to engage in based on achievement of green goals, whereas the indirect effects
environmental management tasks cre include allowing employees to involve in green tasks and
ates a sense of pollution preservation behavior among them (D. W. environmental ini tiatives. Wagner (2013) called for more works on
Renwick et al., 2013; Tariq et al., 2016). the development of causal models that integrate the green HRM and
According to Tariq et al. (2016) the greening of human resource OB domains to explore on green employee motivations. Similarly(D.
functions with employee empowerment from the green perspectives is W. Renwick et al., 2013) also supported the claim of Wagner (2013)
getting attention because in an organizational outcome the employees to see the possible inter vening mechanism of employee empowerment
perform a major role. To solve organizational environmental problems, from the green aspects. Tariq et al. (2016) performed a comprehensive
green employee empowerment has gained notable attention among review on the notion of green employee empowerment and supported
scholars(Daily Bonnie, 2012; Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and the claims of D. W. Ren wick et al. (2013) and Wagner (2013) that
Santos, 2008; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013; Tariq et al., 2016). more studies are required to see the potential intervening effect of
According to G. Tang et al. (2018) and D. W. Renwick et al. (2013) green employee empowerment between green HRM and performance.
giving em According to Charbel Jose Chiapetta Jabbour and Renwick (2018) and
ployees an environmental vision which comprises of values and sym Jackson et al. (2011) there is no doubt that there has been
bols, incorporating green learning culture about environmental tremendous growth in the field of green human resource management
problems at workplace, enabling informal communication channels in the last two decades, yet this field is in the growing stages and still
about green tasks and setting green teams in solving environmental is many areas of green HRM remain blur. Therefore it is imperative to
sues in the organization is an effective way of motivating, involving explore the intervening mechanism of green employee empowerment
and empowering employees. It is the responsibility of the human in gaining environmental excellence(Charbel Jose Chiapetta Jabbour
resource managers to inspire employees to take part in green and Renwick, 2018; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). In gaining
initiatives and encourage them in developing environmentally friendly environmental excellence the studies of Paill´e et al. (2014), Tariq et
ideas(Shoeb Ahmad, 2015; Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and al. (2016) and Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos (2008)
Santos, 2008; Shoaib et al., 2022; Tariq et al., 2016). This can be suggested that green HRM practices likely to impact organiza tional
achieved by constructive work environment where workers can performance through pro environmental behaviors and to achieve
acknowledge as well as contradict with the view of the management sustainable advantage over rival organizations, however in contrast to
and offer their view towards environmental problems(Liebowitz, these claims the work of Lo et al. (2012) claimed that pro
2010; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). Corporations also need to environmental HR practices and sustainable performance is not yet
concentrate in enforcing green prac tices and these practices are understood and there exists some insignificant results in regards to the
contingent on motivated and competent manpower who can enforce above works.
 N. Hussain et al. (2018) claimed that the concept of triple bottom line
2.6. Sustainable organizational performance measures organizational performance beyond the conventional perfor
mance measures like profit maximization, return on equity and
According to Schaltegger and Wagner (2006), p.2 “sustainability indicates other two performance measures such as environmental
performance can be defined as the performance of a company in all performance and social performance. The main function of triple
dimensions and for all drivers of corporate sustainability” it broadens bottom line concept is to make organizations aware of the social and
beyond the limits of the organization’s single economic performance environmental values (Elkington, 1997; Henriques and Richardson,
dimension. Mostly authors have classified organizational sustainability 2013). To measure sus tainable organizational performance based on
on three aspects that is economic, environmental and social (Chan et social performance and environmental performance the triple bottom
al., 2012; Shoaib et al., 2022). The emerging concept of organizational line concept can be applied(Fauzi et al., 2010; Mousa and Othman,
sustainability significantly effects the nature of firm’s 2020). This is because the notion “sustainability” has become
operations(Anwar et al., 2020). Green firms must go beyond economic increasingly vital for organiza tional operations, for example (Pinzone
performance(Hart, 2005) and should focus on environmental and et al., 2016; Zaid et al., 2018) insisted on need for the involvement of
social dimension also (Figge and Hahn, 2004) to increase green human resource man agement in sustainability. For smooth
organizational sustainability and sustainable development initiatives running of organizational oper ations at the current moment and in the
(Gou et al., 2008; Kumar and Put nam, 2008). Moreover, green firms future, there is a need to accept the concept of sustainability, more
and their management takes orga importantly the triple bottom line(N. Hussain et al., 2018). The terms
nizational sustainability as an opportunity rather than burden(Ludema “environmental performance” and
et al., 2012).

5
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar To sum up, service sectors especially healthcare is thought of as a
well-known service provider but it is also a concern with regard to
“social performance” appeared as a necessary performance measures in environmental problems due to the waste generation(Mousa and Oth
recent times, due to stakeholder need in relation to social and man, 2020; Romero and Carnero, 2019). According to Health
ecological matters(Husted and de Sousa-Filho, 2017; Le Van, Viet careClimateFootprints (2019) the healthcare industry is also a major
Nguyen and Nguyen, 2019). Therefore, the academic work has contributor of carbon footprints and climate crisis because it generates
mentioned that it is necessary for the safety and development of the 4.4% of the global net emissions which is tantamount to 514 coal
natural environment (Masri and Jaaron, 2017; Sayyadi Tooranloo et power plants. Similarly, healthcare services produce solid and liquid
al., 2017). In order to safeguard the ecological environment, firms wastes like blood, body parts, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and
must undergo vital mea radioactive materials. Improper management of healthcare waste
sures in order to meet the stakeholder claim regarding environmental poses a threat to waste handlers, healthcare workers and to the
issues(Z. Tang and Tang, 2018). Similar concept has been assisted from community therefore perfect handling and sound management is very
multiple researchers (Jonker and Karapetrovic, 2004; Van Marrewijk important for envi ronmental health protection. The managers in
and Werre, 2003) suggesting that the goal of an organization is to healthcare industry dealing with distress from the people regarding
create harmony between social, environmental and economic environmental prob lems, thus their job is not confined to give superior
domains, which finally improve sustainable organizational services but should be extended in solving environmental matters such
performance(Rasi et al., 2014). The relationship between as green initiatives, recycling waste and energy efficiency(McGain and
organizational sustainability and financial performance has been Naylor, 2014; Pin zone et al., 2016). The condition of the sustainable
studied in theoretical and empirical works by scholars on corporate performance in healthcare system of Pakistan is also not up to the
social responsibility, environmental performance and sustainability standards. The hos pitals in Pakistan contribute to the wellbeing of the
performance (Bangwal et al., 2017; Wagner, 2010). Researchers are people and
deliberately realizing the connection among human resource Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
components and ecological sustainability (Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta
Jabbour, 2013), therefore merging traditional human resource contributes to economy but on the other hand they are also responsible
practices with environmental management (Had dock-Millar et al., for environmental pollution especially hospital waste which is a major
2016). issue. There are rules and regulation to handle these issues. According
Moreover, social performance intend to see the green practices in to GovernmentofPakistan (2019), to ensure commitment to
relation to social dimensions, and is associated with organizations sustainable development, healthcare employees need transformation
image, their services and products based on the claims of stakeholders in skills and training and reengineering of human resource is
(Newman et al., 2016). According to N. Hussain et al. (2018) green necessary. Therefore, green human resource management can play a
initiatives help human resource in developing a sense of social re role to overcome hospital performances issues.
sponsibility between employees, therefore HRM impacts in developing Current study bridges the gap in the literature in various ways.
green employee behavior and boosting social performance. Whereas Firstly, this study answers to the dearth of empirical work on Green
the environmental performance deals with the organizational ability HRM in the service sector especially hospitals, as indicated by (M.
to re duces the wastes it generates, as well as its atmospheric Hussain et al., 2016; Raut et al., 2020; J. Y. Yong et al., 2019).
discharge, restraining the usage of toxic materials and minimizing the Secondly this study uses mixed methodology to look how impact of
occurrence of environmental accidents(Zhu et al., 2008). Notably, for green human resource management practices can impact sustainable
an organi zation to embrace sustainability, there is need to accept organizational performance, as indicated by(Malik et al., 2020; Pham
environmental practices and such as reusing and waste et al., 2019; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013; Zaid et al., 2018). Thirdly
management(Mousa and Oth man, 2020). Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta this study examines the mediating variable green employee
Jabbour and Santos (2008) said that organizations in today’s era need empowerment, as indicated by (Malik et al., 2020; Tariq et al., 2016;
a bench mark that not only fa vours the economic dimension of the J. Y. Yong et al., 2019) on the relationship between green human
organizations but also the envi ronmental and social domain. In this resource management practices and sustainable organizational
regard sustainability can be used a bench mark in solving performance. Finally, this study is one of the pioneers in Pakistan as
environmental and social problems(Wagner, 2010). Human Resource per researcher knowledge to be conducted in the hospital sector. This
Management has been recognized as a major player in developing study operationalizes and measures sustainable organizational
firms’ capabilities, strategies and competencies that are needed to help performance that reflects on three components (envi ronmental
an organization to achieve environmental and social goals. HRM performance, economic performance and social perfor
system has the top most capability for assimilating the concept of mance). Measures that can be related to sustainable organizational
sustainability into organizational domain in gaining envi ronmental performance includes, the reduction in the toxic direct and indirect
and social capabilities. emissions, reducing waste and increasing the amount of recycled sup
 plies, separation of medical garbage from the public sewerage lines,
increasing the rate of purchase of ecological goods for example medi 2.7. Theoretical framework
cines, preserving the green areas in the institutions, reducing the dan
gers associated with ecological accidents such as medical waste Based on the literature review, the present study tests a theoretical
exposure, emission from radiation and leakage of poisoning, increasing model (Fig. 1) that demonstrates that green HRM practices impacts
awareness among employees when using dangerous substances and ra sustainable organizational performance through green employee
diation based on health and safety rules. Increased commitment empowerment. Research which is not based on theoretical foundations
towards infection control and antibiotic control policy (Al Kerdawy, is considered imprecise(Gürlek and Çemberci, 2020). D. W. Renwick
2019; Lon goni et al., 2018; Mousa and Othman, 2020; Paille et al., et al. (2013) ability, motivation, and opportunity lens, which claims
2014; Zaid et al., 2018). In summary, green HRM strives on hiring that developing green abilities, motivations, and opportunities offered
staff on green criteria, environmental training and environmental to employees lead to performance, and system of green HR, reflect the
development of the existing employees, environmental champion organization’s vision, goals, and the strategic importance of the envi
reward titles and mone tary benefits to staff who meet the ronment to all of its employees. As a result, green HRM practises will
environmental objectives and pro motions of managers who show also have an impact on the organization’s sustainability performance.
commitment to environmental sustainability. Moreover, green Therefore, it is expected that green HRM practices increase the sus
empowerment includes the creating the awareness among employees tainability performance of the organizations. Along with green HRM
for dealing with environmental issues, empowering them to make practices there is another factor that is crucial for improving sustain
decisions regarding sustainability practices, educating them on how to ability performance is reciprocity norm of social exchange theory that
deal with the waste generated as a result of organization processes, is
commitment for green programs and orientation to the newly hired
employees, sustainability presentations to create a green culture.

6
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

Fig. 1. Model of the study.

 the em
ployees for example, recruitment, selection, training and development,
improving the motivation of employees for example rewards and per
formance management and giving the employees opportunity to
participate in suggestions. D. W. Renwick et al. (2013) claimed that
under AMO theory green HRM practices like green recruitment and
selection, green training and development(ability), green performance
appraisals and rewards(motivation) and green opportunities (green
employee empowerment) can affect directly and indirectly to sustain
able organizational performance. AMO lens explains that organizations
through its green recruitment and selection can hire potential green
candidates, train them and motivate them in initiating green tasks
through green training and development, provide them incentives
based on green performance management. Enhancing employees’
abilities and skills, motivating them, providing opportunities to engage
in green tasks and giving them incentives are those determinants that
defines the
performance of an organization such as reduced waste, better
employee health and safety and increased profit.
Green HRM has appeared as new style of triumphant management and
assimilates environmental management to contribute in organiza tional
performance (Al Kerdawy, 2019). Nowadays, managing the
environmental issues depict critical managerial challenges (H. H. P.
Opatha and Arulrajah, 2014) where organizations strive to cutdown
their negative effect on the environment and to improve sustainable
organizational performance(S Ahmad, 2015a,b). Researchers are now
slowly understanding the link between human resources and environ
mental sustainability (Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour, 2013) and ac
cording to Haddock-Millar et al. (2016) for environmental
sustainability HR practices are crucial. Paille et al. (2014) examined
the association among GHRM and environmental performance and the
study revealed a positive connection between GHRM practices and
organizational per formance. S. Dubey and Gupta (2018) investigated
the role of green HRM in boosting environmental sustainability which
green employee empowerment(Tariq et al., 2016). Green HRM cannot not only included the financial aspects of performance but also the
be effective and fruitful without considering the role of green employee social aspects of per formance and concluded that green initiatives can
empowerment in which employees are empowered to perform green enhance employee awareness towards sustainability issues. According
tasks effectively and efficiently. Therefore, we expect that to(Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour et al., 2010) organizations should
sustainability performance of organizations is contingent upon both merge HRM practices with green management to gain sustainable
theoretical foundations AMO theory and Social exchange theory. organizational performance. Moreover, GHRM practices like green
recruitment and selection, green training and development, green
3. Hypothesis development and theoretical support performance man agement and rewards are essential for gaining
performance(Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos, 2008; D.
3.1. Green HRM and sustainable organizational performance W. Renwick et al., 2013; G. Tang et al., 2018). According to G. Tang et
al. (2018) conventional HRM practices strives for economic outcomes
The AMO theory presented by Appelbaum et al. (2000) is generally while green HRM prac tices strives for environmental performance.
used in green HRM and Performance research (Bos-Nehles, Van Moreover Cherian and Jacob (2012) gave the direction on how todays
Riemsdijk and Kees Looise, 2013; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013). organizations can adopt green HRM in promoting environmental
According to Boxall and Purcell (2003) and Appelbaum et al. (2000), management and proposed that HR role in environmental
the AMO theory accentuates that human resource practices may have management in improving performance is
a link to organizational performance through initiating the ability of

7
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar (2019a) empiri cally test green HRM practices to enhance
environmental performance and mediating role of green
very important. H. H. P. Opatha and Arulrajah (2014) contributed that organizational culture. The study of (Mar tins et al., 2021) in the
functions of Green HRM leads to green attitude among the employees healthcare also confirmed that green HRM practices also enhances the
and this attitude leads to organizational performance. Obaid and Alias economic, environmental and social performance.
(2015) proved that recruitment of employees and selecting them on A review of literature on GHRM, clears that green human resource
environmental criteria, providing them green training and enabling management practices are positively related with sustainable organi
green learning culture is positively related to firm performance. Masri zational performance. Therefore, the following hypothesis are
and Jaaron (2017) examined the consequences of green HR practices proposed:
on environmental performance in the context of manufacturing
organiza H1. There exists a positive relationship between GHRM practices and
tions and concluded positive association with environmental perfor sustainable organizational performance. (Main Hypothesis)
mance. Yusoff et al. (2018) investigated Green HRM practices such as
H1a. There exists a positive relationship between green recruitment
green recruitment and selection, green training and development, and selection and sustainable organizational performance (Sub
green awards and green performance management on the Hypothesis)
organizational performance and the study pointed out that only green
performance appraisal is statistically insignificant to organizational H1b. There exists a positive relationship between green training and
performance. S. Roscoe, N. Subramanian, C. J. Jabbour, and T. Chong development and sustainable organizational performance (Sub
Hypothesis) tasks more effectively (Tariq et al., 2016). Moreover, to overcome
environmental issues in the organizations, employee empowerment has
H1c. There exists a positive relationship between green performance
gained significant attention(Daily Bonnie, 2012; Tariq et al., 2016).
appraisal and reward and sustainable organizational performance (Sub
Research in green HRM scholarship suggests that the sustainability
Hypothesis)
performance of organizations is affected by the green HRM practices(Z.
Hameed et al., 2020; Malik et al., 2020) yet the mechanisms of how
3.2. Green HRM practices and green employee empowerment
green HR practices affect performance has not got much attention, and
this lack of understanding limits how green HR leads to performance.
According to Cropanzano and Mitchell (2005) and Cook et al.
The current study moves the field of green HRM to a step forward in
(2013) social exchange is the most prominent paradigm in perceiving
incorporating green employee empowerment as the potential inter
the workplace behaviour. Almost sixty years ago, Homans (1958) gave
vening variable(Tariq et al., 2016) in understanding how green HRM
the idea of social behaviour based on mutual exchange. Homans in
leads to performance based on the social exchange paradigm(Cook et
1961, p.13 defined social exchange as “an exchange of activity,
al., 2013; Emerson, 1976). Overall the study proposes that green HRM
tangible or intangible, and more or less rewarding or incurring a cost
practices influences positive organizational outcomes through green
between at least two persons”. Specifically Homans and Behavior
employee empowerment from social exchange perspectives. The
(1961) empha
current study model uses SET paradigm and proposes that green
sized that social behaviour is the process of mutual cooperation over
employee empowerment serves as link between green HRM practices
the time, moreover the relationship can be effected due to lack of
and sus
mutual cooperation and unevenness in rewards and costs. According
tainable organizational performance and to explain the bond between
to Blau (1964) “Social exchange refers to voluntary actions of
green human resource management practices with sustainable organi
individuals that are motivated by the returns they are expected to
zational performance green empowerment of employees is needed. The
bring and typically do in fact bring from others.” However Emerson
researcher expects that the green HRM practices may influence
(1976) gave a more transformed idea that positive behaviour is
employee empowerment towards green initiatives this is because the
reciprocated and rewarded. When employees receive what they feel as
application of green HRM practices will help employees to identify
encouraging treatment from their organization, the employees will
organizational environmental issues and how to solve these issues
return more positives outcomes that will impact positive
which further will impact the performance. In doing so the employee
organizational outcomes(Kim and Ko, 2014). Green HRM from the
empowerment to green initiatives will provide them an opportunity to
lens of social exchange theory suggests that when an organization
realize their green goals as well as the broader picture of the work
implements green policies, green training sessions, green rewards
processes. Processes that can support how green HRM practices lead to
systems for the employees it enables a conducive pro environmental
performance is still a black-box(Paill´e et al., 2014; Ren et al., 2020)
behavior among employees. Green empowerment and support from
therefore the researcher is proposing the green empowerment of em
the managers, environmental rewards, green training sessions, giving
ployees as central to such processes. Moreover, this study will be the
voice to employees to perform green tasks, providing an environment
early attempts to empirically examine the green employee empower
to employees where they can exchange their ideas with the
ment between green HR practices and performance. To have a partici
management in solving environmental issues of the organization
pative work environment in pursuit of green and eco-friendly
creates a sense of corporate social responsibility and motivates the
initiatives, human resource managers have to encourage employees
employees to perform their green tasks more effectively which in turn
through empowering them (S Ahmad, 2015a,b; Charbel Jos´e
enhances the
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos, 2008). Digalwar et al. (2013) said
that employee empow erment is a mean that allows workers to be
green performance of the organization therefore this theory explains committed and motivated in pursuing excellent environmental
the linkage between green human resource management practices and practices and when employees are empowered to initiate and perform
green employee empowerment in anticipating sustainable organiza green job in the organization then it is termed as “green employee
tional performance. empowerment” (Tariq et al., 2016). Tariq et al. (2016) further said
Consequently, Jose Chiappetta Jabbour (2011) and D. W. Renwick that the notion of combining green HR with green employee
et al. (2013) based on the AMO paradigm argued that use of green empowerment is acquiring great attention because
HRM practices may have a link to environmental performance. But to employee play important role in organizational issues. Various
have in depth investigation that how the connection among green Scholars amplify that green human resource practices de pends on
HRM prac patterns of environmental decisions and behaviors in the or
tices and sustainable organizational performance works, the researcher ganizations(Jackson et al., 2011; Zibarras and Coan, 2015) and in
is trying to examine role of green empowerment which further lead to organizational environmental problems employee empowerment has
performance. Therefore, by examining the green empowerment, the gained significant momentum in recent years(B. F. Daily and Huang,
researcher is trying to give an improved test of the theory and 2001; Daily Bonnie, 2012; Ramus, 2002). For Example, Bonnie F Daily
prediction. et al. (2007) empirically tested the support of management, training
Green employee empowerment serves as a key to enhance organi and
zational outcomes where employees are encouraged to initiate green

8
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar talent and HR manager should consider the importance of developing
green skills. Yusliza et al. (2017) performed work on both industrial
empowerment in executing tasks related to environmental and ser vice industry to check the role of electronic HRM, green
management, and giving rewards for environmental tasks on perceived employee empowerment and Green HRM appeared an important and
environmental performance. Daily Bonnie (2012) revealed that significant contributor in GEE. Nejati et al. (2017) considered
environmental training and environmental empowerment has positive manufacturing firm to examine the effect of GHRM on GSCM. In that
effect on environmental performance and the effect was mediated by study green training and development, green pay and reward and
green teams. green employee empow erment were appeared as important
Tariq et al. (2016) conducted a review analysis on employee determinants from GHRM. Z. Hameed et al. (2020) empirically tested
empowerment and introduced the term green employee empowerment the Green HRM practices and the role of green employee
and studies the role of GHRM and employee empowerment and found empowerment on organizational citizenship behavior for environment.
that empowered employees are more interested in GHRM initiatives. Based on review of literature on GHRM and GEE, it is clear that green
Further, D. W. Renwick et al. (2016) pointed out that environmental human resource management practices are positively related with
concerned questions during recruitment and showing them that em green employee empowerment. Based on these the following
ployees are empowered in green tasks will ultimately attract green
hypothesis are proposed. empowerment and economic performance (Sub Hypothesis)

H2. There exists a positive relationship between GHRM Practices and

3.4. Green employee empowerment a potential mediator
Green Employee Empowerment. (Main Hypothesis)

H2a. There exists a positive relationship between green recruitment Identify the mediating construct is very important, as it impacts the
and selection and green employee empowerment (Sub Hypothesis) relationship between dependent variable and independent variables
(Tariq et al., 2016). The system of green HRM that might possibly
H2b. There exists a positive relationship between green training and
accomplish the required persisting results, a better knowledge of the
development and green employee empowerment (Sub Hypothesis)
mediation processes through which green HRM impacts specific green
H2c. There exists a positive relationship between green performance and general outcomes is necessary. For example, (Harvey et al., 2013)
appraisal and reward and green employee empowerment (Sub discovered that green performance was directed by HRM policies and
Hypothesis) practises, but that the impact was mediated by employee attitudes like
dedication and engagement. Further how green empowerment can
3.3. Green employee empowerment and sustainable organizational mediate between green HRM and sustainable performance is still
performance needed. A review study of(Tariq et al., 2016) also proposed that green
HRM impact on performance is not direct rather but mediation is
In order to enhance environmental performance, human resource needed to fully explain the mechanism. Employee activities that are
managers must encourage employees to get involved in green programs aligned with the organization’s goals and strategy will turn into
(S Ahmad, 2015a,b; Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour and Santos, improved empowerment and engagement. This improved green
2008). In this regard HR staff can create a coordinative working empowerment will provide a way to employees to carry out and
climate where employees can hold different opinion with the maintain goal-oriented actions. Despite recent progress, research on
management and can offer various ideas to highlight different how employees react to green human resource management is still in
issues(Liebowitz, 2010). Participation of employees in green programs its early stages. Even in firms with a well-designed green HRM system,
helps to identify pollution sources, provides solutions in emergency managers are likely to have differing perspectives, interpretations, and
situations and allows em attributions. Under standing how green empowerment processes
ployees to further gave suggestions regarding preventive measures influence employee green behaviour is a crucial step in developing a
(Boiral and Paill´e, 2012), resulting in improved performance (D. W. successful GHRM system. Guerci and Pedrini (2014) took a step in this
Renwick et al., 2013). Study conducted by Rothenberg (2003) revealed approach when they dis cussed managers’ cognitive views about green
that when employees are allowed to participate and involve in envi HRM in respect to envi
ronmental related projects then this contributes environmental ronmental challenges. Advancing the focus of green HRM research to
performance. incorporate the consideration of mediating processes as well as consid
Massoud et al. (2008) showed that participative work environment eration of a broader range of results is beneficial across all areas of the
for employees, proper coordination and incentive system enhances organization. GHRM implementation might result in a cascade of ben
green performance. Manzoor et al. (2019) explored that green HRM efits for both firms and employees. Embedding environmental man
practices like selection, participation, empowerment have positive in agement with HRM systems in an organisation will impact both
fluence on job performance of the employees whereas training moder organisational and employees’ outcomes(D. W. Renwick et al., 2013).
ates the relationship between sustainable HRM and performance. Daily With this study green employee empowerment is considered as po
Bonnie (2012) concluded that environmental empowerment of em tential mediator between green human resource management practices
ployees positively impacts organizational performance, moreover and sustainable organizational performance (see Fig. 3). The justifica
scholars like (Govindarajulu, 2004; Z. Hameed et al., 2020; May and tion of green employee empowerment that why there is need to study
Flannery, 1995; P. J. Singh and Sangwan, 2011) concluded positive green employee empowerment as mediator based on recent studies and
results of organizational performance with respect to green employee these recent studies argued that green employee empowerment serves
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812 as link between green HRM practices and performance and green
HRM enhances performance through green employee empowerment.
empowerment. Based on review of literature on sustainable organiza The study of (Bonnie F Daily et al., 2007) found significant mediating
tional performance and GEE, it is clear that green employee empower rela tionship of empowerment between management support for
ment is positively related with sustainable performance. environ mental management system and perceived environmental
performance. (D. W. Renwick et al., 2013) called for research needs in
H3. There exists a positive relationship between green employee
testing employee empowerment as mediator to understand its link to
empowerment and sustainable organizational performance. (Main
organi zational outcomes. (Tariq et al., 2016) provided a
Hypothesis)
comprehensive overview on green employee empowerment as
H3a. There exists a positive relationship between green employee potential mediator. (Almarzooqi et al., 2019) empirically tested the
empowerment and environmental performance (Sub Hypothesis) mediating relationship of employee empowerment with sustainable
HRM and perceived orga nizational support and employee
H3b. There exists a positive relationship between green employee
empowerment mediated the
empowerment and social performance (Sub Hypothesis)

H3c. There exists a positive relationship between green employee

9
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar
 Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

Fig. 2. Explanatory mixed method approach.

 behavior for the environment, employee green behavior, green
employee engagement, environmental orientation, environmental
knowledge(Benn et al., 2015; Iqbal et al., 2018; Pham et al., 2019;
Safari et al., 2018) and most recent works like of Davis et al. (2020)
linking green HRM with ecological behaviour, S. K. Singh et al. (2020)
worked on green innovation and environmental performance and the
role of green leaderships, Anwar et al. (2020) targeted university
employees and studied green HRM with Organizational citizenship
behavior to environment, Song et al. (2020) worked on determining
the effects of GHRM and environmental concerns in relation to green
innovation, however to identify possible relations between green HRM
and perfor mance that how and why the process of green HRM
influences sus
tainable organizational performance. The reviews by (Benevene and
Buonomo, 2020; Macke and Genari, 2019; Ren et al., 2018; D. W.
Renwick et al., 2013; Tariq et al., 2016; J. Yong et al., 2019) identified
that, employee empowerment to green initiatives can serve as a medi
ator in explaining how green HRM impacts performance. Therefore,
this study based on the recent calls highlighted above
proposes that green employee empowerment is a potential mediator
between green HRM and performance. Moreover, the current study re
lates green HRM and performance based on two theories. The AMO
theory which say that developing green abilities, motivations and op
portunities provided to employees lead to green employee empower
ment and green employee empowerment lead to performance, and
structure of green HR reflects the vision, environmental goals and the
strategic importance of environment to all employees working in the
organization therefore green HRM practices will also influence sus
tainable performance of the organization. The social exchange theory
from the green lens that reflects the importance of exchange behaviors
and helps in explaining the phenomena of green employee empower
ment in understating green HRM and performance link, thus this study
tests theories from the green context in a developing country like
Pakistan. Based on review of literature on green employee empower
ment the following hypothesis is proposed.

H4. GEE mediates the relationship between green HRM practices and
sustainable organizational performance.

4. Methodology
relationship. Z. Hameed et al. (2020) empirically tested the green HRM
The current research used the explanatory mixed complementary
practices and mediating role of green employee empowerment on
approach and connected both quantitative and qualitative results at the
organizational citizenship behaviour for environment. The above
final stage. The quantitative segment which is the dominant method
studies are highlighting the importance of green employee empower
included data collection using questionnaires and then the data was
ment that why there is need to study green employee empowerment as
analysed through Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling.
mediator based on recent studies and the recent studies argued that
In
green employee empowerment serves as link between green HRM.
Moreover the works on constructs like organization citizenship

10
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
 qualitative techniques in GHRM literature as directed by modern
scholars (Pham et al., 2019; J. Yong et al., 2019). This study adds the
qualitative approach by con necting with the respondents in the field
to obtain inside views as to how they perceive GHRM and green
employee empowerment at work. Thus, the quantitative approach was
used to examine relationships between the variables under this study
while the qualitative lens was used to help in identifying some
emergent factors of green HRM, sustainable per formance and green
employee empowerment that have not been studied in previous
studies. J. Yong et al. (2019) who argued that mixed
methods studies on Green HRM remains very few (see Fig. 2). In
addition, they argued that in order to overcome the weakness of one
method, mixed methods should be applied. Moreover J. Yong et al.
(2019) also claims that mixed method approach is difficult and takes
time and resources but this approach provides rich results that will
contribute heavily to the body of literature on GHRM. This argument
is also supported by (Anwar et al., 2020; Malik et al., 2020) that there
is need to focus on mixed method approach to investigate green HRM
and performance relationship and will help in providing more
insights.
Therefore, the current study filled this methodological gap pointed in
the green HRM literature and applied mixed method that is
explanatory sequential research design to investigate green human
resource man agement practices, green employee empowerment, in
predicting sus tainable organizational performance. Secondly, the
mixed method design is notably well suited in revealing the insights of
the relationships and uncover additional details in a particular field
especially GHRM (Masri and Jaaron, 2017). Moreover, using double
lens of quantitative data and then qualitative data in a sequential way
has significant posi tive effect on informing qualitative data as both
methods are perceived as complementary to each other. The use of
mixed method in the current study helped in improving the
confidence, validity of the results as well as data from both domains
gave better explanation as to why the subject under study was
significant or irrelevant. Pakistan is a multi-diversity country and a
developing nation and both quantitative and qualitative lens helped to
better understand the true nature that how green HRM can be
implemented to gain sustainable performance and how employee
Fig. 3. Full model, visualization results of embedded two stage approach, second
empowerment can mediate in improving sustainable performance.
order, stage 2).
4.1. Target respondents and unit of analysis
the same manner, qualitative data was collected using semi-structured
interviews and was analysed through thematic technique using quali The study used simple random sampling because as per Ministry of
tative software NVIVO 12. The process followed in a sequential order Health Pakistan there were 141 hospitals that were engaged in green
and at the final stage, the quantitative findings were complemented HRM policies and based on Krejcie and Morgan formula for known
with the qualitative findings. The current research made a sample size the minimum sample was 104 public sector hospitals in
considerable effort and contributed to the body of literature using Pakistan and on the safer side 105 hospitals were visited. As discussed
mixed method design i.e. explanatory sequential design to address
research objectives at the findings stage using both quantitative and

11
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar which consisted of three variables, GHRM practices, green employee
empowerment, and sustainable organizational performance. GHRM
above the study used explanatory sequential research design so for practices were based on 18 items survey instrument designed with 5-
quantitative segment, the unit of analysis for the current study were point Likert scale adapted from previous work of (Mousa and Othman,
public sector hospitals in Pakistan and the key targeting respondents 2020). Green Employee Empowerment was measured using 6 items
were the hospital managers of the public sector hospitals in Pakistan. adapted from the work of (Saeed et al., 2019). Finally Sustainable
Data was obtained from organizations(hospitals) and the respondents Organizational performance will be measured using 18 items and scale
(hospital managers) in the respective hospitals who are responsible and is adapted from Mousa and Othman (2020) and (Abdul-Rashid et al.,
involve directly and have experience in HR policies, developing and 2017). The advantage of scale representing GHRM practices and Sus
maintaining green policies, implementation environmental manage tainable Organizational performance taken from Mousa and Othman
ment plans, involved in the green training programs, providing support (2020) over other green HRM scales like (Gholami et al., 2016; Ran
services in order to ensure and solve environmental issues raised in the garajan and Rahm, 2011) is that firstly its reported alpha values,
hospitals were targeted. The criteria of being selected was that in average variance extracted and item loadings are well established and
dividuals hold a management position and has the responsibility for in the given ranges, secondly these items are more relevant of judging
environmental management of the hospital. In addition, the effect of envi ronmental aspects of green human resource management and
GHRM practices, green employee empowerment was assessed at orga sustain able organizational performance from the aspect of hospital
nizational level. industry. Thirdly, these items measure sustainable performance and
green HRM on each dimension and their respective cross-ponding
4.2. Survey questionnaire items. Similarly, the scales of variable, green employee empowerment
from (Saeed et al., 2019) because these scales are more comprehensive
The current study used standard questionnaire as survey instrument and relevant to the concept in explaining green employee
empowerment in relation to green initiatives and lastly these scales 105 hospitals were visited. Questionnaires among hospital managers
are from well reputed journals which reflects the credibility of these in public sector hospitals in Pakistan which were engaged in green
scales. HRM initiatives were distributed through hospital official channel to
complete the questionnaire and to return in a timely manner. Upon
4.3. Pretesting of the instrument (face and content validity) personal visits questionnaires were dropped to the administration
office and the hos
Although the items of the questionnaire are well validated and well pital administration informed that approximately each hospital has 5
established and taken from top impact factor journals, yet the to 6 hospital managers. After 3–4 weeks another visit was made to
pretesting of the measurement instrument before the full-scale study collect the responses. The researcher managed to acquire 564
improves the quality of the instrument and data. The main purpose of responses out of 630 and 17 responses were removed due to outliers’
the content validity is to check that the measures perfectly reflect the issues. The final sample size was 547.
concept. The current study pre-tested the measurement instrument The advantage of collecting greater sample than the required that it
based on expert’s opinion from four professors in the field of provides cushion for missing values and outliers removal at later stage
management. The ques through which the sample size is reduced. Moreover, semi-structured
tionnaire along with the Performa was sent the expert professors to interviews were administered for collecting the qualitative data. Face
validate the questionnaire. The current study chooses four experts to to face interviews were conducted till saturation point. The collected
fully validate the questionnaire. During the pretesting process the ex data was transcribed and was inserted into the qualitative software
perts gave useful remarks on the validity of the questionnaire and some NVIVO 12 for coding. NVIVO allows the qualitative scholars to manage
very minor amendments were made. For example, the original item huge data, help researchers to classify, identify and determine themes
was “The organization prefers to recruit employees that have and very effectively creates relationships among the generated themes.
knowledge about environment” and the word organization was For the current study, the researcher designed the interview protocol
replaced with the word “hospital” based on IPR framework system given by Castillo-Montoya (2016). In
the first step the researcher created the interview protocol matrix
4.4. Pilot scale study aligning the interview questions with the research questions. In the
second step, the researcher conducted an inquiry with the qualitative
The internal consistency of the data is determined through the specialist to check the wordings of the questions and how to organize
alpha value which is the measuring scale of the reliability(Jose questions in the best manner possible. The third step was to include
Chiappetta Jabbour, 2011; Hair et al., 2016) and it reflects stability the response from the qualitative specialist. Lastly, the final protocol
between items was made. Finally, the researcher purposively selected hospital
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812 managers working in the public sector hospitals of Pakistan for the
execution of semi structured interviews. Second the researcher first
that are used to measure a construct. The current study used visited to the hospital through hospital official channel to do the
established scales but on the safer side the study conducted the pilot interview and informed the administration office about interview
testing of 35 hospital managers from Pakistani public hospitals agenda. The administration officer then contacted the respective
because (Saunders et al., 2007) directs that sample size for pilot hospital managers who were willing to give the interview. Upon their
testing should be more than 30 participants. The alpha coefficients approval, a day and timing of the interview was set. The researcher
value of green recruitment and selection was 0.834, green training then met the hospital manager and further gave him details about the
and development 0.815, green per project and told him about the purpose of the research and complete
formance appraisal and rewards 0.781. For green employee empower details of the study. As doctors (hospital managers) are busy people
ment the alpha value was 0.807. The values of environmental therefore, first their will ingness to participate in interview was be
performance, social performance and economic performance were asked. The interview took place at the respondent organizations room.
0.827, 0.793 and 0.817. The purpose of the pilot study is normally to Semi structured interviews were conducted with 11 hospital
validate the questionnaire according to the cultural context and as this managers. The sample size for the qualitative study should be between
study is adapting items that had been previously used in other 5 and 50 respondents and it is also contingent upon research
countries so it needs to be validated in a developing country like objectives and methodology(Castillo- Montoya, 2016; Korstjens and
Pakistan. Therefore, before launching full scale study, first the Moser, 2018). General rule in qualitative study is to apply the
instrument was pretested, then pilot study was conducted and at later saturation principle. The saturation principle deals with the collection
stage, full-scale study was conducted. of data till a point comes where collecting more data

4.5. Data collection

The whole data collection took around 4 and a half months and

12
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

does not produce new information and the research has provided the Table 1
maximum information about the phenomenon under study(Korstjens Research items.
and Moser, 2018) therefore, the researcher followed the Constructs Dimensions Items
saturation
principle. Each interview time was noted and seen in Table 2, majority of the hospital man by senior registrars (34%), followed by 17 %
roughly on average the interviews lasted 50–60 agers were male (76 %). In terms of age were medical officers and 13% were
min (see Table 1). specification majority of the hospital manager consultants. Finally, the experience section
were above 50 (36 %) followed by (25 %) were shows that 59% of the hos pital mangers were
4.6. Demographic information of hospital managers below 50 and above 45. Based on the highest having more than 15 years of experience
(quantitative) qualification achieved, 33 % managers followed 26% were having less than 15 years of
achieved the highest medical qualification FCPS experience.
This Section provides the demographic followed by 20 % were MRCP, 18 % have done
characteristics of the hospi tal’s managers. The doctorate and only 9 % were having master’s 4.7. Demographic information of hospital managers
managers details include gender, age, highest qualification. Moreover, as far as the (qualitative)
qualification achieved by the hospital managers, designation is concerned majority of the
their present designa tion and experience. As hospital managers were HODs (34%) followed In total 11 semi structured interviews were
conducted with hospital managers. Table 3 development aspects
Evaluation of green training and development helps to
shows the demographic information of hospital
measure the employees’ level of green
managers of the qualitative section. knowledge and awareness Specific environmental goals are
adopted by every manager and employee in the hospital
5. Data analysis When environmental programs are improved, employees in
our hospital are rewarded for their remarkable Ideas
Employees who have achieved or exceeded the
To test hypothesis the SEM (Structural Equation
environmental objectives of the hospital are rewarded with
Modelling) was used. The utilization of non-cash
PLS-SEM, a major multivariate analysis is equivalents or other cash prizes Section managers reward
nowadays very popular in various research staff in their departments when they improve
environmental programs One of the criteria employee
fields like marketing, human resource
performance assessment is the achievement of
management, accounting, knowledge environmental objectives
management, operations management and There are adequate assessments of staff performance after
other various business management fields (J.F. Green training and attending courses on environmental topics
Hair et al., 2013; Joseph F Hair et al., 2019). development second order constructs except green employee
Moreover, various reasons of performing empowerment which is unidimensional
PLS-SEM include that it does not desire for construct.
normal distri The PLS SEM include two major steps, the
bution of the data, it can handle small sample measurement model analysis and structural
sizes effectively for both reflective and model analysis. In this study GHRM and Sus
formative constructs and is very useful for tainable Organizational Performance are
analysing predictive research models where conceptualized as second order constructs. This
theory is still in the early stages (J.F. Hair et study used the embedded two stage as it is easy
al., 2013). But the latest developments in PLS to apply in the SMART PLS(Sarstedt et al.,
and bootstrap procedures for overall model fit 2019). The first stage of the embedded two
enables PLS for causal models, i.e. confirmatory stage is similar to the repeated indicator
and explanatory study and it can also work for approach in which all the lower order items are
larger samples sizes as well(Joseph F Hair et loaded to the second order construct(Sarstedt
al., 2019). The most important ground is that et al., 2019). In the second stage, latent variable
PLS is very flexible with regards to assumptions Green performance scores from all the first order construct are
and very less rigid as compared to AMOS appraisal and rewards generated to further perform second order
where distributional and normality, sample The hospital prefers to recruit employees that have
analysis. To run model through Smart PLS first
knowledge about environment
sizes, homoscedasticity need to be fulfilled. In CMB test was conducted. The presence of
Applicants for jobs in the hospital are subject to interviews
addition to that it gives the researcher a room to test their knowledge about Common method bias occurs in research when
to evaluate models without limitations as in Environment the
AMOS (J.F. Hair et al., 2013). The model of this In addition to other criteria, employees are selected based Green employee empowerment
study is a complex structure and two out of on environmental standards – Our hospital recognize employee as a key stakeholder in
Job seekers are attracted by the environmental image and the
four constructs are represented as reflective policies of the hospital environmental management
second order constructs. The current study is The job description includes the job’s environmental Our hospital provides
using both first order and aspects The recruitment message includes hospital’s opportunities to negotiate with
environmental values in the job advertisement management about green
Green HRM practices Green recruitment and selection Training programs about workplace agreement
environment are provided to large-scale individuals in the Introducing green whistle
hospital blowing and help-lines
In general, staff are satisfied with hospital’s green training Our hospital provides
Topics offered through green training are modern and opportunities to the employee to
suitable for hospital’s activities
involve and participate in green
The hospital provides formal environmental training
suggestion schemes and joint
programs for employees to increase their ability to
consultations for environmental
promote them
Environmental objectives contain green training and (continued on next page)

13
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Table 1 (continued )
Table 2
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
Demographic characteristics of hospital managers.
Constructs Dimensions Items
Our hospital offers workshops or Demographic Profile
issues problem solving Feature Frequency Percentage
organizational Gender Male 418 76.42 Female 129 23.58 Increase the volume of recycled
Environmental performance Total 547 100.0 Highest
forums for staff to improve environmental Age Above 35 and below 40 87 15.90 Medical Graduation only 95 17.36
behaviour and exchange their tacit Above 40 and below 45 122 22.30
knowledge Our hospital Involves employeeAbove 45 and Below 50 137 25.05
in formulating environmental strategy
Above 50 201 36.75
Direct and indirect toxic emissions are
Total 547 100.0
reduced in our hospital performance
Sustainable
materials and reduce waste sewage system Physicians and Surgeons Kingdom)
Our Hospital is committed to Qualification Pakistan) MRCP (Membership 176 32.17 112 20.48
the system of separating FCPS (Fellow of College of of Royal Colleges of
medical waste from the public Physicians of United
natural environment such as the
Increase the rate of purchase of presence of green areas in the hospital
environmentally friendly goods (e. g., Reduced the risk of environmental
medicines). accidents such as medical waste
Increase activities that protect our Present
 Designation Diploma in Public Health 12 2.19 Total 13.71 Head of Department 191 34.91
PhD 98 17.91 MPhil/MS 54 9.87 547 100.0 Medical Officer 93 17.00 Total 547 100.00
Senior Registrar 188 34.36 Consultant 75
leakage, poisoning or radiation Demographics profiles of hospital managers.
emissions
Social performance Increase attention in the rules of the health and safety of
employees, especially when using
hazardous materials and radiation
Improving community health and
safety, and infection control
Reducing the impact of the
Hospitals waste on the community
develop and design better service
and participation of staff
Demographic Profile Feature Frequency
initiatives in management
decisions Gender Male 9 Female 2
Increased commitment to Total 11
professional ethics, infection Age Above 35 and below 40 3 Above 40 and below 45 3
control and antibiotic control Above 45 and Below 50 1
policy Above 50 4
Experience Less than 10 years 76 13.89 10–15 years 147 26.87
More than 15 years 324 59.23
total 547 100.0

Table 3
Economic performance Total 11
Improved Hospital Image (i.e. Hospital is seen as a Experience Less than 10 years 2 10–15 years 4
green Hospital)
The issues related to endogeneity has
More than 15 years 5
Decrease in hospital utility bills Decrease in been broadly addressed in management
total 11
hospital waste treatment fees studies, particularly in regression-based
Decrease in hospital waste discharge fees models(Papies
Reduce the cost of energy use Decrease in hospital
material purchasing cost
5.1. Robustness checks
related to various roots, such as variance of the common method,
instrument has similar scales and same number of response options measurement error problems, concurrent causality and latent
(Podsakoff et al., 2012). Common method bias can affect the relation variables heterogeneity (Hult et al., 2018).
ship between variables and lead to wrong results. Therefore, the re To prevent the existence of endogeneity issue, normally two main
searchers before going for analyzing measurement and structural methods are used, gaussian copula approach and the IV approach(Hult
model assessment must perform common method variance test. et al., 2018). For the current study in relation to IV approach, the IV
Harman’s one factor test is the most common approach for detecting related to green HRM and green employee empowerment needs to be
common method bias. The test includes two conditions that, first more unassociated with the omitted determinants of sustainable organiza
than one factor with Eigenvalue greater than 1 and second no one tional performance. Table 4 shows the IV induction pointedly increases
factor must account for more than 50 percent of the total variance the R2 value in the first step when we measured green HRM and GEE
explained(Bozionelos and Simmering, 2022; Podsakoff et al., 2012). as endogenous constructs. Moreover, the WeakID test values are also
The researcher conducted the herman test and results showed that 8 greater than the threshold value of 10 and the Hausman test also shows
factors were having Eigenvalues greater than one therefore the first a p-value of 0.341. Table 5 of gaussian copula also shows that the
condition was met. Secondly the principal factor was 28 percent of the endo
total variance (Principle Compo nent Analysis) explained hence the
geneity is not an issue in the current model and the effect of gaussian
second condition was met therefore the validity of the data is not copula is not a significant equation.
affected by common method bias.
et al., 2017; Park and Gupta, 2012). Problems of endogeneity are

14
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar IV approach results.
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
Table 4

Endogenous Variable Point estimation R2 Values WeakID test Wu-Hausman test Green HRM GEE Stage 1 without IV Stage 1 with IV F-value Significant p-value

Green HRM 0.089 0.489 0.488 0.638 67.894 yes 0.341 GEE 0.146 0.249 0.247 0.638 51.426 yes 0.341

Table 5
Result of gaussian copula approach.
variables: Green HRM) Gaussian copula Model 3(endogenous variables: Green
Original Model Gaussian copula Model 1(endogenous Gaussian copula Model 2(endogenous variables: GEE) HRM, GEE

Variable Value p- value Value p-value Value p-value Value p-value Green HRM 0.467 0.000 0.469 0.000 0.463 0.000 0.461 0.000 GEE 0.241 0.000
0.241 0.000 0.247 0.000 0.239 0.000 cGreen HRM – – 0.043 0.776 – – 0.031 0.248 cGEE – – 0.007 0.840 0.004 0.547
namely economic performance, environmental performance, social
performance, green recruitment and selection, green training and
5.2. First order measurement model analysis development, green performance appraisal and rewards and green
employee empowerment. This section put light in testing the
The first order measurement model is based 7 sub dimensions
 cludes factor loadings, Average Variance Extraction (AVE), Cronbach’s
Alpha values and composite reliability. It also includes discriminant
Table 6 validity measurements like FLC (Fornell-Larcker Criterion), HTM ratio
Convergent validity (first Order). and Cross loadings.
measurement model to determine reliability and validity of the first
The convergent validity is one of the important criteria’s in the
order constructs. This includes convergent validity which further in

Constructs Items Factor Loadings Cronbach Alpha Composite reliability Average Variance Extracted rho_A
Env5 0.910 0.629 0.885 0.911 0.931 0.693 0.916 0.897 0.921
Green Recruitment and Selection GRS1 GRS2
Env6
GRS3
Social Performance Soc1 Soc2
GRS4
Soc3
GRS5
Soc4
GRS6
Soc5
Green Training and Development GTD1 GTD2 0.662 0.900 0.886 0.913 0.638 0.893 0.904 0.926 0.676
Soc6
GTD3
Green Employee Empowerment Gee1 Gee2
GTD4
Gee3
GTD5
Gee4
GTD6
Gee5
Green performance Appraisal and Rewards GPA1 GPA2
Gee6
GPA3 0.921
0.719 0.859 0.812 0.720 0.729 0.767 0.706 0.857
GPA4 0.732 0.731 0.772 0.702 0.744 0.841 0.717 0.829
GPA5 0.886 0.726 0.885 0.853 0.840 0.847 0.808 0.775
GPA6 0.761 0.881 0.868 0.790 0.764 0.809 0.861 0.823
Economic Performance Eco1 Eco2 0.783 0.830 0.739 0.750 0.833 0.894 0.866 0.722
Eco3 0.757 0.848
Eco4 0.862 0.897 0.594 0.869 0.845 0.886 0.566 0.851 0.880
Eco5
Eco6
Environmental Performance Env1 Env2
Env3
Env4

15
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar

According to Sarstedt et al. (2019), while analyzing the second

measurement model assessment. It is the validity to which the individual order construct in embedded two stage approach, use the lower order
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
construct latent scores and include these scores as new variables in the
Table 8 datafile and then these scores are used as indicators of second order
items load onto their designated construct and the recommended value measurement model analysis.
for factor loadings is greater than or equal to 0.7 (Joseph F Hair et al., In this study green human resource Management practices and sus
2019). Second the average variance extracted which is the grand mean tainable organizational performance are second order construct with 3
value in relation to the square of loadings and is equal to the commu sub dimensions. Hence, it is necessary to assess the measurement
nality of the construct and the recommended value is greater than 0.5 model for the second order constructs as it will reflect the
or more. The internal consistency of the data is determined through confirmation of the sub dimensions that make up that construct. An
the alpha value which is the measuring scale of the reliability and as extra step was added in the PLS SEM analysis in which the latent
directed by (Joseph F Hair et al., 2019). An alpha coefficient of 70 % scores of the lower order constructs were generated from the first
and more demonstrates that the data is achieving sufficient reliability. order constructs. As stated above the first stage measurement model
Table 6 below shows that the convergent validity is met and up to the analysis was generated using embedded approach, in the second stage
recommended criteria by (Joseph F Hair et al., 2019). the latent variable scores for each lower order construct was used.
Discriminant validity means a construct measure what it intends to
measure and is the extent a construct is different from other construct 5.4. Structural model assessment (Sub hypothesis)
in a research model(Joseph F Hair et al., 2019). An important
criterion for measurement model assessment is the establishment of After establishing measurement model assessment of the first order
the discriminant validity. The discriminant validity is based three
criteria’s; fornell and lacker’s assessment which is the square root of Table 7
the average variance extracted, cross loadings and Discriminant validity (fornell and lacker’s criteria, first Order). EcoP EnvP
heterotrait-monotrait ratio. Fornell and lacker’s assessment implies GEE GPA GRS GTD SocP
that square root of average variance extracted must be greater than
EcoP 0.832
off-diagonal value with other constructs with respect to correlation.
EnvP 0.472 0.813
Moreover, the cross loadings mean that outer loadings of each items GEE 0.277 0.17 0.822
on the related construct must be higher than crossing loadings of the GPA 0.16 0.221 0.33 0.793
other constructs. Finally, HTMT ration refers to the ratio of GRS 0.409 0.532 0.172 0.483 0.771
correlation within the constructs to the correlation between the GTD 0.342 0.497 0.166 0.526 0.753 0.752 SocP 0.477 0.491 0.283 0.18 0.349
constructs and the threshold ratios for the assessment of HTMT is 0.253 0.799

0.90(Joseph F Hair et al., 2019). Table 7 and Table 8 show that the Note: “EcoP = Economic Performance, EnvP = Environmental Performance GEE
discriminant validity based on the three criteria explained above is = Green Employee Empowerment, GPA = Green performance Appraisal and
achieved (see Table 9). Rewards, GRS = Green Recruitment and Selection, GTD = Green Training and
Development, SocP= Social Performance”.
Discriminant validity (HTMT criteria, first Order).
5.3. Second order measurement model analysis
EcoP EnvP GEE GPA GRS GTD SocP
 EcoP
EnvP 0.518 Table 12 provides the structural model bootstrapping results for
GEE 0.3 0.181 path values for green HRM and green employee empowerment
GPA 0.18 0.246 0.37 relationship. Green recruitment and selection significantly and
GRS 0.459 0.591 0.187 0.549 positively influence green employee empowerment, with a beta value
GTD 0.386 0.569 0.187 0.599 0.872
of (0.414), a t value of (45.628), and p value of (0.000). With a beta
SocP 0.526 0.64 0.318 0.203 0.394 0.289
value of (0.393), t value of (49.179), and p value (0.000), green
Note: “EcoP = Economic Performance, EnvP = Environmental Performance GEE training and development also significantly and positively affect green
= Green Employee Empowerment, GPA = Green performance Appraisal and employee empowerment. Similarly, the influence of green
Rewards, GRS = Green Recruitment and Selection, GTD = Green Training and performance appraisal and rewards also positively and significantly
Development, SocP= Social Performance”.
related to green employee empowerment having beta value of (0.365),
t value of (44.130) and p value (0.000).
and second order analysis, the study ran the structural model analysis
and as this study has used PLS-SEM, structural models were tested 5.7. Sub hypothesis, direct effect of green employee empowerment on sop
through 4 main hypotheses and 9 sub-hypotheses. In this section 9 sub
hypothesis are discussed in which individual level green HRM Table 12 provides results of relationship of green employee
practices were tested with green employee empowerment and empowerment with sustainable organizational performance on indi
sustainable orga vidual level performance. Bootstrapping results for path values for
nizational performance (see Table 11). green employee empowerment on individual level performance shows
that green employee empowerment is positively and significantly
5.5. Sub hypothesis, direct effects of green HRM practices on sop related to economic performance having beta value of (0.291), t value
(7.710) and p value (0.000). Moreover, the influence of green
The structural model bootstrapping results for path values are given employee empower ment on environmental and social performance is
in Table 12. It was found that on individual level structural analysis, also positive and statistically significant with beta value of (0.186)
green recruitment and selection significantly and positively influence and (0.294), t value (4.568) and (7.374) and p value (0.000)
sustainable organization performance having beta value of (0.449), t respectively.
value of (8.210) and p value of (0.000). Green training and
development also significantly and positively influence sustainable 5.8. Structural model assessment, direct and mediation effects (main
organizational performance having beta value of (0.145), t value of hypothesis)
(2.493) and p value (0.013). However, the influence of green
performance appraisal and rewards was statistically insignificant to After assessment of measurement model and initial structural model,
sustainable organizational performance having p value of (0.926), t
value (0.093) and beta value of (0.004).

5.6. Sub hypothesis, direct effect of green HRM practices on gee

16
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Convergent validity (second Order).
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812
Table 9
Loadings
Cronbach Alpha
Composite reliability
Average Variance Extracted
Constructs Dimensions/Items Factor

Green HRM Practices Green Recruitment and Selection 0.908 0.810 0.887 0.726 Green Training and Development 0.907
Green performance 0.728
Appraisal and Rewards
0.842
Sustainable Organizational Performance Social Performance 0.782
Economic Performance 0.797 0.735 0.848 0.651 Environmental Performance
Green Employee Empowerment Gee1 Gee2 Gee5 0.904 0.926 0.676
Gee3 Gee6
Gee4 0.833 0.894 0.866 0.722 0.757 0.848
Discriminant validity (fornell and lacker’s criteria, second Order).
referred to as collinearity. It may result in the study outcomes
becoming more complicated for the interpretation of research. The
recommended values for variance inflation factor as per Hair et al.
(2016) criteria is less

Table 10
Sustainable Green Employee Empowerment values. It can be seen that VIF indicates that direct relationships
Organizational
values are clearly below the are positive and statistically
Performance
0.822 threshold limit of 5. Therefore, significant. Green HRM practices
Green HRM Practices
Green Employee collinearity is not an issue in the are positively related with
Empowerment than 5. Table 13 explains VIF structural model. Overall the model sustainable organizational perfor
Green HRM Practices 0.244 0.852

mance with beta value (0.461), t value of (10.866) and p value (0.000).
Sustainable organizational performance is also positive and
Organizational Performance Moreover, Green HRM practices are also positive statistically significant with beta value of
related to green employee empowerment having (0.181). t value
beta value of (0.244), t value (4.989) and p
Table 11 value (0.000). Similarly, the relationship of
0.294 0.505 0.807 green employee empowerment with sustainable
Discriminant validity (HTMT criteria, second Order).
Sustainable Green Employee Empowerment
Organizational Green HRM Practices
Performance
Table 13
Green Employee Constructs Predictor Constructs VIF(Outer)
VIF values of variables.
Empowerment <5
Green HRM Practices 0.295
Sustainable Organizational Economic Performance 1.433
Sustainable
Performance Environmental Performance 1.458 Social
Organizational Performance
Performance 1.467 GEE1 2.275 GEE2
0.359 0.614
Green Employee Empowerment 3.977
GEE3 2.902
this section discusses the evaluation of the full structural model and GEE4 1.602
testing of the main hypothesis of this study. This study assess the final GEE5 2.164
structural model and as the study have used SMART PLS therefore to GEE6 2.512
assess, Joseph F Hair et al. (2019) recommended five steps which in Green HRM Practices Green Recruitment and Selection 2.371 Green training
and Development 2.511
volves (1)collinearity assessment of construct(VIF), (2) Path co
Green Performance Appraisal and Rewards
efficients, (3) R2 Value, (4) effect size, f2 value, 1.416
2
(5) and predictive relevance Q . Strong Table 12
correlation between the exogenous variables is Sub hypothesis results summary.

Hypothesis No Effects Beta Value T Value P value BC 95 % Confidence

Results
Interval

2.5% 97.5%

H1a Effect of GRS on SOP 0.449 8.210 0.000 0.333 0.549 Accepted H1b Effect of GTD on SOP 0.145 2.493 0.013 0.034 0.258 Accepted H1c Effect of GPA on SOP 0.004 0.093
0.926 − 0.080 0.086 Rejected H2a Effect of GRS on GEE 0.414 45.628 0.000 0.397 0.433 Accepted H2b Effect of GTD on GEE 0.393 49.179 0.000 0.378 0.409 Accepted H2c
Effect of GPA on GEE 0.365 44.130 0.000 0.350 0.382 Accepted H3a Effect of GEE on EnvP 0.186 4.568 0.000 0.103 0.264 Accepted H3b Effect of GEE on SocP 0.294 7.374
0.000 0.211 0.370 Accepted H3c Effect of GEE on EcoP 0.291 7.710 0.000 0.208 0.365 Accepted

Note: GRS: green recruitment and selection, GTD: green training and development, GPA: green performance appraisal and rewards, SOP: sustainable organization
performance, GEE: green employee empowerment, EnvP: environmental performance, SocP: Social performance, EcoP: economic performance, BC: bias corrected,
P: probability value, Number of bootstraps samples for Bias bootstrap confidence intervals: 5000.

17
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Confidence hypothesis is accepted. 5.9. Deciding the right re
Interval spondents in the qualitative
Table 14 Qualitative data analysis study is the most important
2.5% 97.5%
Mediation analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production 434 and this study employed
(2024) 139812
Hypothesis No Effect T Value As the study is following the purposive sampling because
H4 P
and p value (0.001), mixed method approach, this it is the well-suited for semi
Green employee value
section elaborates the structured interviews and
empowerment mediates the
relationship between green HRM therefore H4, the main qualitative data analysis to purposive sampling strives
practices and sustainable support the quantitative re for choosing re
organizational sults through
performance
BC 95 % complementarity approach.
Total effect of GHRMP on SOP 0.538 hospital managers through purposive sampling
Direct effect of GHRM on SOP technique. Interviews were recorded in MP3
0.505 13.543 0.000 0.424 0.573 0.461 10.866 0.000 0.371 spondents based on a specific goal rather than audio player and then transcribed into microsoft
randomly selecting par ticipants. Therefore, semi
structured interviews were conducted with 11
Effect of GHRM on GEE 0.244 4.989 0.000 0.141 0.333 Effect of GEE on SOP the NVIVO12 the most appropriate software for qualitative data anal
0.181 3.816 0.000 0.083 0.271 Indirect Effects – – – – –

word file and then theses microsoft word documents were installed in
GHRMP➝ GEE➝SOP 0.244x0.181 = 0.044 ysis. The thematic analysis is an appropriate various related concepts of the variable being
0.000
technique as it allows the researcher to identify
Total Indirect Effect 0.044 0.000 Moreover, green employee empowerment explained by green HRM
Note: GHRMP: green human resource management practices, SOP: sustainable practices by 5.8% (0.058). According to (J. Cohen, 1988; Hair et al.,
organization performance. 2016), f2 value of 0.02, 0.15 and 0.35 is considered small, moderate
GEE: green employee empowerment: bias corrected, P: probability value, and large respec tively. Green HRM practices have moderate effect size
Number of bootstraps samples for Bias bootstrap confidence intervals: 5000. on sustainable organizational performance having f2 value of 0.28 and
small effect size on green employee empowerment having f2 value of
(3.816) and p value (0.000). Thus, giving support to the hypothesis 0.063 and the effect of green employee empowerment on sustainable
proposed therefore all main direct hypothesis H1, H2, H3 are accepted organizational perfor mance is also small having value of f2 0.043. In
(see Table 14). addition to the coeffi cient of determination and effect size, the Smart
The value of R2 reflects that cumulative impact of independent PLS also enables to check the percentage of variance caused in the
variables on the dependent variables. R2 value of 0.283 which counted dependent variable by all independent variables. A Q2 value of larger
a significant amount (28.3%) of variance reflects that sustainable orga than zero for an endogenous variable indicates the predictive
nization performance in this study is explained by green HRM relevance of the path model results for the variable(Hair et al., 2016).
practices and green employee empowerment about 28.3% (0.283). Predictive relevance for green employee empowerment was 0.180 and
 for sustainable organizational perfor mance was 0.037. Values are 12, nodes were generated. Further, the researcher performed the axial
above zero which reflects that predictive relevance have achieved coding. Axial coding is a qualitative technique which enables to reveal
with respect to the independent variable. codes that are interrelated and to break down the themes(Buetow,
2010). The next step was to refine and further screen the themes. The
5.8.1. Mediation analysis (Indirect effect of green employee empowerment) screening of themes was based on the researcher judgment and the
The recent developments in determining the mediation effect is based themes generated were accurately rechecked to represent the
on the bootstrapping technique, in which the indirect effect and respondent’s views. The advan
standard deviations and bootstrap confidence interval is calculated. tage of using NVIVO 12 is that it allows the researcher to locate par
Joseph F Hair et al. (2019) explains the phenomena of the intervening ticipants who show more importance to a particular concept or theme,
(mediation) mechanism. The Smart PLS measures indirect effects of the the files option in NVIVO 12 means the participants and the references
variables using partial least square method. Moreover, the estimation means the number of coding for a particular node. The coding
of references reflect that how much a particular theme is important in
the indirect effects is calculated using bootstrapping confidence in the eyes of respondents and if the number is less it means that a
tervals. In addition, the bootstrap is a nonparametric approach for particular theme is less important or not related to the study. Finally,
analysing hypothesis and estimates the effect sizes without considering the researcher coded the variables or themes reflecting green HRM,
the assumptions of normality in the data(Joseph F Hair et al., 2019). In green employee empowerment and sustainable organizational
the current study, the mediation type is the complementary mediation performance. The the matic networks in NVIVO 12 allows the
as both direct and indirect effect are positive and statistically researcher to make a tree like structure and the nodes which represent
significant and the product of all the path coefficient are positive and the themes were developed in the current study that reflects a tree like
statistically significant. This means that green employee structure. Moreover, the NVIVO 12 automatically adopts the family
empowerment mediates the relationship between green HRM practices values concept in which the top code is parent code and lower code is
and sustainable organiza tional performance having indirect effect of child code.
(0.044) with t value 3.208 In the current study, thematic analysis was conducted to get
answers of the research questions from NVIVO 12 software. There
studied(Braun and Clarke, 2006). The study has used the thematic
were three main questions that “(1) Does your organization use green
analysis technique which includes, code the transcript, identify the
HRM practices like green recruitment and selection, green training and
themes, develop networks among the themes, elaborate the themes,
development of em
summarize the themes and finally interpret the themes. Moreover, the
ployees and green performance appraisal and rewards to improve
matic networks were created to explore themes from the interview
sustainable organizational performance”? (2) “Is there any green employee
manuscripts and then these networks were given graphical representa
empower ment in your organization to improve the sustainable
tion. To perform the thematic analysis this study used NVIVO12 and
organizational perfor mance?” (3) “What performance improvements your
the data was put into the software to do the analysis.
organization got from green HRM and green employee empowerment”?
In response to question (1) after running the thematic analysis in
5.10. The thematic process for green HRM and performance
NVIVO 12, green HRM initiatives that emerged were green recruitment
and selection(child), green training and development(child) and green
The term thematic coding in NVIVO 12 means generating nodes
performance appraisal and rewards(child). Green HRM was the parent
and these nodes represent the concepts, ideas, thoughts and
theme and three child themes were emerged that were explaining
viewpoints of respondents. Through the auto coding option in NVIVO

18
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

sustainable organizational performance. The matric coding query in Fig. 5 shows the tree of green employee empowerment themes.
NVIVO 12 highlighted that green recruitment and selection with 9
sources and 18 coding references through content analysis. Green
training and development had 10 sources and 15 coding references. 5.12. Valuation of sustainable organizational performance in public
Green performance appraisal and rewards represented 7 sources and 12 healthcare sector of Pakistan
coding references. Childe nodes and Parent nodes in the see Fig. 4 are
representing themes of green HRM that were predicting the sustainable To answer third question “What performance improvements your or
organizational performance in public sector hospitals in Pakistan. ganization got from green HRM and green employee empowerment”? the
thematic analysis was performed to investigate the parent and child of
sustainable organizational performance in public hospitals of Pakistan.
5.11. The thematic process for green employee empowerment and Child themes of sustainable organizational performance were environ
performance mental performance, economic performance and social performance.
Further, the child themes of environmental performance were low rate
To answer the second “Is there any green employee empowerment in of environmental accidents this is due to the fact that when employees
your organization to improve the sustainable organizational performance?” are properly trained the accidents ratio is decreased, less emissions
the thematic analysis showed that 9 child nodes see Fig. 5 were from hospital waste management reveals that waste is managed
emerged from the concept “green employee empowerment” that were properly and disposed of, proper system of separating medical waste
explaining benefits of green employee empowerment and how it with general waste. Similarly, child themes of economic performance
enhanced sus that were emerged are reduction in electricity bill, less waste
tainable organizational performance. The matrix coding query repre treatment cost, material purchasing cost reduce etc. Themes of social
sented 8 sources and 24 coding references. For example, due to green performance were community development initiatives, health and
employee empowerment child nodes that were generated were the safety rules commit ment, professional ethics and infection control
environmental dedication of managers and employees contributed to policy in hospitals. All these themes generated are highlighting the
environmental performance of the hospital, free flow of green ideas importance of green HRM practices and green employee
was generated to solve environmental problems of the organization, empowerment in gaining sustainable organizational performance. The
devel opment of the environmental culture, circulation of green vision matrix coding query highlighted that economic performance with 9
across the organization and proper environmental management sources and 22 coding references,
systems. The
 Fig. 4. Tree of green HRM themes.

19
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar
 Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

Fig. 5. Tree of green employee empowerment themes.

hospitals it is necessary that the healthcare human resource
management should be organized in a way that it should make greater
efforts in achieving sustainability. Therefore, the HRM systems should
be merged with environment management and this merging of HRM
with environment management is called as Green HRM(D. W. Renwick
et al., 2013). The roots of green HRM lies in the idea of merging
sustainability in firm activities and decision making. The 2030 agenda
out of 17 sustainable development goals draws attention to the
importance of healthcare sector to improve its green performance by
recruitment, training, development and retention of healthcare staff in
developing countries to reduce environmental risks and managing
global health risks. In other words, low sustainable performance of
hospitals is attributed to a dearth of green HRM practices. The term
green human resource management is a modern approach to
understand the human resource functions and merging environmental
management in the sub zones of the human resource management,
that is hiring, selecting, developing and evalu
ating, hence environment friendly human resource functions. The
major aim of Green HRM is to boost green organizational
performance. Another important factor mentioned by (Tariq et al.,
2016) is empow erment of the managers and staff. The greening of
human resource functions with employee empowerment from the
green perspectives is getting attention because in an organizational
outcome the employees perform a major role. To solve organizational
environmental problems, green employee empowerment has gained
notable attention among scholar like(Ren et al., 2018; Tariq et al.,
2016). The terms green employee empowerment in relation to the
context of this study means
that the managers empowers and allow their lower level managers and
staff in incorporating green learning environment, allowing them to
give suggestions on how to solve environmental issues in the hospital,
environmental performance had 11 sources and 22 coding references making green teams in the hospital that manage health and safety op
and social performance had 7 sources and 18 coding references. Childe erations in the hospitals, motivating employees to perform green tasks
nodes and Parent nodes in the see Fig. 6 are representing themes sus and involving them in meeting that are related to environmental
tainable organizational performance in public sector hospitals in agenda. Therefore, green HRM cannot be effective and fruitful without
Pakistan. consid ering the role of green employee empowerment and sustainable
per formance issue can be solved by green HRM practices along with
6. Discussion and conclusion the empowering employees to perform green tasks. Lastly
organizations should use green HRM practices and empower
To overcome the sustainable performance challenge in the health employees to improve sustainable organizational performance. Due to
care sector of Pakistan and to embrace the sustainability in the the sustainable perfor mance issue in the healthcare sector of
 Pakistan(Mukhtar et al., 2018), the objective of this study was to HRM practices and sustainable organizational performance. Similarly,
investigate the influence of green HRM practices on sustainable this study developed a mediation model based on previous gaps
organizational performance along with the mediating role green identified in the literature and the model was empirically tested by
employee empowerment between green HRM and sustainable filling theory gaps. Moreover, the complementary qualitative findings
organizational performance. The study was conducted through a also supported the quantitative part and revealed that child themes of
mixed method approach. The quantitative segment used quantitative green HRM practices were green recruitment and selection, green
data to answer the research questions and then sequentially followed training and development, green performance appraisal and rewards
by qualitative data of 11 hospital managers to support and and green employee empowerment is also an important theme in
complement quantitative findings. The quantitative segment results predicting sus tainable performance of the hospitals.
showed that green HRM practices influence sustainable organizational The study proposed 13 hypothesis which included 4 main
performance in a positive way. In addition to this, the green HRM hypothesis and 9 sub hypotheses. The main hypothesis H1 was
practices also positively influenced green empowerment and green accepted and the
employee empowerment mediated the relationship between green

20
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar themes.
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812

Fig. 6. Tree of sustainable organizational performance

 which will enable them to obtain certain skills in improving environ
mental profile and goals of the firms. Moreover, the qualitative
findings also complemented the quantitative findings where hospital
managers agreed that green training and development brought them
enhanced results. For example, hospital manager(A) revealed that
“Green training and involvement I believe is the most important part of our
HRM system in the hospital and is considered an essential priority for the
hospital, as it con
tributes to its sustainable development and sustainable performance, it is
essential for effecting successful activities related to environmental manage
ment. And adopting this green environmental approach in hospital improved
employees’ skills, awareness, and knowledge related to both hospital waste
management and green performance” Similarly hospital manager (C) also
responded in the same manner “I believe that the hospital’s human
resource management system would suffer greatly without the emphasis
placed on green training and participation. The hospital’s green
performance and the staff’s waste management skills and environmental
consciousness have both improved, thanks to this approach. Eco-friendly
education brought several
advantages, including the reduction of waste, the maximising of efficiency
in resource use, and the eradication of pollution.” Regarding the green
recruitment and selection hospital manager (C) replied “Our hospital’s
public image has improved, employee morale has gone up, green
performance has gone up, and the atmosphere is more empowered because
of this approach to recruitment”.
But on the other hand, the hypothesis H1c was not accepted and green
performance appraisals and rewards had no influence on sus tainable
organizational performance and the effect was statistically
insignificant. This study contradicts with the previous findings of(Zaid
et al., 2018) where green performance appraisals and rewards were
positively related to sustainable organizational performance. However,
this study is in line with the findings of(Malik et al., 2020; J. Y. Yong
et al., 2020; Yusoff et al., 2018) and this insignificant of green perfor
mance and rewards in relation to sustainable organizational perfor
mance is based on various factors that organizations sometime face
financial challenges and it is difficult to have a proper reward system
and to have a well-established appraisal system. Moreover, the
hospitals in this study were from the public sector and the availability
two-sub hypothesis H1a and H1b were also accepted. The results of the of funds is based on the government priority that where to utilize
current study are in line with the findings of (Mousa and Othman, funds properly. Another reason that this study contradicts with(Zaid et
2020; Ren et al., 2020; Rothenberg et al., 2016; G. Tang et al., 2018), al., 2018) because their study was conducted in the manufacturing
where Green HRM practices brought fruitful results in relation to sector which has a corporate culture therefore rewards system in
sustainable organizational performance. Particularly in the current corporate entities is better than in public entities. Lastly,(Zaid et al.,
study, green training and development was considered the most 2018) research was conducted in Palestine and this study was
effective practice to boost sustainable organizational performance conducted in Pakistan therefore cross-cultural variation also need to
apart from other green HRM practices this is due to the reason that be considered. Qualitative findings in this study do reveal that green
training equips the em HRM practices brings better sustainable organizational performance
ployees with enhanced skills and knowledge and inspires them to be but there were hospital
innovative and due to increase in environmental issues, organizations
are now willing to groom employees by providing them green training

21
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar pital keep up its good work over time but it depends upon the budget and the
government policies.
managers who shared their views regarding green performance The main hypothesis H2 was accepted and the three-sub hypothesis
appraisal and reward system in their hospitals. hospital manager (D) H2a and H2b and H2c were also accepted. Results of this hypothesis
shared his views that “There are awards and certificates handed out for are in line with the previous works of(Nejati et al., 2017; Saeed et al.,
excellent performance but no financial incentives for hospital staff members 2019; Yusliza et al., 2017) and reflects the importance of green HRM
that boost the environmental performance of the hospital. Despite the fact in initi
that if our hospital provides its employees benefits such as certificates and
ating green empowerment which serves as key for green behaviour
other perks of a similar nature, I am of the opinion that providing adequate
among employees. The study identified that green empowerment of
per
employees is a potential factor that is influenced by green HRM initia
formance incentives in the form of money will improve the hospital’s ability
tives and these green HRM initiatives have positive relationship with
to maintain its success over the course of time”. Similar argument was green employee empowerment. Moreover, empowering employees to
given by hospital manager (E) “I believe that culture of public initiate green tasks and giving them authority helps HR managers to
organizations is different from corporate world. The people who work at implement green initiatives in the organizations at higher level. Orga
our hospital get fewer perks than they used to. In the normal course of nizations that foster more empowerment in terms of green tasks and
things, we do give out cer recognize their employees a key player in environmental sustainability
tificates and rewards for better performance. However, there are no grants benefits organizations to achieve sustainable objectives which in turn
for the hospital staff who help make the facility greener. I think that giving improve organizational performance. Similarly, providing a clear green
appropriate performance rewards in the form of money would help the hos vision during the recruitment and selection stage by the hiring staff to
the employees being recruited creates a sense of responsibility among allowing open conversation, the free flow of ideas, and the presentation of
employees for green initiatives. It also symbols that organization is different points of view on issues related to the environment” Therefore
supportive for environmental initiatives and employees also feel proud based on the above findings green HRM practices have a positive link
to be a part of that organization. Hence H2a was accepted. Moreover, with green empowerment of employee.
H2b stated that the green training and development was also positively The main hypothesis H3 was accepted and the three-sub hypothesis
related to green employee empowerment. This reflects that ensuring a H3a and H3b and H3c were also accepted. No doubt an empowered
green learning climate, offering workshops for green development, green workforce impacts green performance of the organizations and it
providing proper training to pursue green tasks enhances the will of has implications for improved performance. For example, employees
employees to respond to environmental management initiatives and feel motivated and perform green tasks assigned to them. The process
this is also supported by (Nejati et al., 2017; Tariq et al., 2016) that of giving them a chance to negotiate with managers in dealing with
green training and development greatly influence green empowerment envi
of employees. As far as the impact of green performance appraisal and ronmental issues of the organization influences the sustainable organi
rewards is concerned it also have positive relationship with green zational performance. The results are in correspondence with previous
employee empowerment and it reflects that not only green training is works of(Daily Bonnie, 2012; Govindarajulu, 2004; Z. Hameed et al.,
essential for empowerment but green empowerment need to be sup 2020; Islam et al., 2020) where green empowerment impacts overall
ported by incentives and green rewards should be given to those em performance of organizations. Moreover, this green approach to
ployees who show a better performance for fulfilling green objectives empowerment also impacts economic performance of organization like
and this finding is in line with the(Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour it enhances profitability and make organization very efficient in the
et al., 2010; Nejati et al., 2017) which confirms that employees in consumptions of its own resources. This notion that green
those organization that have proper appraisal and rewards system are empowerment leads to positive economic impacts are also supported
more empowered than others. by(Nejati et al., 2017; Tariq et al., 2016) therefore H3c was accepted.
The qualitative findings regarding green employee empowerment Similarly, envi ronmental performance is also enhanced by
reflected that it is an important component that gives fruitful benefits. empowering employees to perform green tasks and the importance of
The hospital manager (A) on a question regarding green employee green empowerment in the environmental issues of the organization
empowerment responded that “As hospital manager, we provide oppor has been highlighted by various scholars like (Bonnie F Daily et al.,
tunities to employees and provide voice in environment management and get 2007; Govindarajulu, 2004; D. W. Renwick et al., 2013) Benefits of
their suggestions on solution for environmental problems in the hospital. green employee empowerment results in reduction in waste
Managers support empowering employees in decision making for environ generation, emissions control, reduction in environmental accidents
ment management which enhances the problem-solving skills of an employee thus ultimately improving environmental performance of the
and improve organizational performance. My superiors also support me organization hence H3a was accepted. The green employee
through various formal and informal communication channels and I empowerment also fosters social performance like better commitment
emphasize articulating a clear environmental vision for employees to work to health and safety rules, sustainable initiatives for com munity
together, share knowledge, and propose new solutions for complex problems development and helping management to have decision that reflect
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812 social responsibility initiatives and this is in line with(Daily Bonnie,
2012; Tariq et al., 2016). The qualitative findings also high lighted the
and to improve green performance thus green human resource management importance of green employee empowerment for instance, hospital
is the key to initiate green empowerment”. manager (E) “It is a top priority for the hospital because it con tributes to
The hospital manager(F) speaking about green employee empower the hospital’s long-term growth and performance and is needed to do
ment responded that “I can say that we provide employees opportunities, environmental management activities well and by putting this green strategy
give them a say in environmental management, and propose a solution for into place improved hospital performance, the staff’s skills, knowl edge and
environmental problems that develop within an organisation. The capacity understanding of how to handle hospital waste” hospital manager (C)
of an employee to solve issues and the performance of the company as a responded “Green employee empowerment is essential to boosting green
whole is improved. We do provide chances for participation, and by performance because it fosters a work environment where employees are
promoting open discussion, the free exchange of ideas, and the presenting more likely to work together, share knowledge, and develop novel
of many points of view on topics relating to environmental concerns, these approaches to solve problems” Therefore based on the above findings
opportunities help to establish an environmental culture inside the medical green employee empowerment has positive link with sustainable
centre. One of my main duties as a Manager to get input from my seniors organizational performance.
and is to make sure that an environmental vision is clearly stated and that The main objective of this study was to see the mediating role of
personnel is informed about environmental actions via a number of formal green employee empowerment. The previous research on green HRM
and informal communication channels” literature (D. W. Renwick et al., 2013; Roscoe et al., 2019b) suggested
The hospital manager(K) replied “. I believe that green HRM helped that green HRM initiatives affect the employee’s behaviour and
the medical centre build a culture that cares about the environment by

22
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar empowered to perform green tasks freely, implementation of health
and safety rules are followed actively, energy efficiency is gained,
psychological mechanisms in a green manner which further lead to organization becomes corporate social organization and less impact of
performance. In the current research, the researcher made a organization activities on the local community, innovate green ideas
proposition that green HRM practices affect green employee are discussed by the employees and managers in meetings with top
empowerment and green employee empowerment positively impacts management, ultimately improving organizational performance. The
the sustainable organizational performance, thus it is then logical that results of this study reflect the importance of the mediating variable
GEE Mediates the Relationship between Green HRM practices and green employee empowerment which was high
Sustainable Organiza lighted in previous conceptual studies(D. W. Renwick et al., 2013;
tional Performance(H4). Based on the results H4 was accepted. The Tariq et al., 2016). Moreover, the findings also reflect a
GEE is a potential mediator between Green HRM and sustainable correspondence with the previous works of(Z. Hameed et al., 2020;
perfor mance because employees tend to inclined towards green Shen et al., 2018) where green employee empowerment emerged as a
initiatives and feel green empowerment through green HRM initiatives potential intervening mechanism between green HRM practices and
and then they are more engaged and involved to meet green goals of employees’ psychological processes that lead to sustainable
the organization. This enhanced feeling of green empowerment in performance.
them towards green goals improves sustainable performance for The qualitative findings also reflected the strategic importance of
example, environmental pollution generated as a result of green employee empowerment in the organizations. Hospital managers
organization activities is properly managed when employees are agreed that green employee empowerment is a powerful initiative to
deal with organizational environmental issues and employees feel free progressing knowledge in green management literature that has
to make decision on how to manage and perform green tasks assigned emerged due to the global environmental problems. An increasing
to them. Previous works have confirmed the influential role green number of academics have supported the implementation of green
employee empowerment in improving sustainable performance(Daily HRM initiatives for achieving environmental sustainability in the
Bonnie, 2012; Z. Hameed et al., 2020). Green HRM practices along organiza
with strong employee empowerment for green tasks drives tion, but very little has been done to identify potential links between
organizations to have enhanced green performance and become green HRM and performance that how and why the process of green
socially responsible. Hospital manager (A) responded on green HRM influences environmental, economic and social performance. This
employee empowerment “In my opinion green employee empowerment study advances research on the green HRM literature by integrating
has brought us many benefits, hospital image is improved, the staff is two theories AMO theory and SET theory to clarify green
happier, reduction in environmental accidents and waste leakages, less HRM-sustainable organizational performance via green employee
usage of paper and both managers and staff have become socially empowerment. The study responds to the call of testing the
responsible “hospital manager (B) reflected on green employee application of AMO and SET theory by(D. W. Renwick et al., 2016;
empowerment that “By practising green HRM, our HR system is more Tariq et al., 2016) and showed that recruitment and selection from
structured and work in a systematic way. We offer platforms and green perspectives and green training and development provides
workshops for our staff on the adopting green culture in the hospital. The (Ability) to employees to increase their awareness and knowledge on
staff is allowed to highlight the environmental issues, give feedbacks and in environmental issues and to execute green ideas in the organization.
formation on environmental plans” Likewise the hospital manager (F) Moreover, green rewards to employees provides them (Motivation) to
response on green employee empowerment revealed that “I have got full perform green tasks in a more refined way and providing employees
support from the director HR to discuss key things on how to keep hospital (Opportunity) to participate in imple mentation of green agendas
environment clean and to further communicate with the staff working under reduces environmental issues and improves sustainable performance.
me to implement green practices in the hospital. This has led our employees Despite this, only green HRM initiatives may not always produce
to actively participate in green campaigns, environmental programs such as better performance results for reducing environ
tree planting and hospital waste disposal seminars.” The hospital manager mental impacts(D. W. Renwick et al., 2013) employees must be
(D) responded that “Our hospital performance has improved, based on the empowered(Tariq et al., 2016) and encouraged to drive new green ini
environmental impact assessment report of our hospital, we have reduced tiatives and based on social exchange theory that when employees are
the emissions resulting from hospital solid waste, low rate of environmental empowered to perform green tasks, in return they show positive
ac cidents. We have environmentally friendly packaging for medicines, envi commitment which further impacts performance. Therefore, the effec
ronmental banners in the hospital to stop spreading the waste. From an HR tiveness of green HRM system cannot be ensured without simulta
perspective I believe that both green HR and environmental empowerment neously empowering employees for green tasks and green HRM and
has inspired our staff to present their ideas about environmental protection performance relationship via the mediating role of green employee
and to promote green initiatives in the hospitals. The findings of the empowerment from the SET perspective is a key step towards more
results are consistent with the previous works of(Daily Bonnie, 2012; deep theoretical understanding.
Z. Hameed et al., 2020; Moraes Silvana de et al., 2019). In general, the Second, the current study applied AMO theory and SET paradigm
quantitative and qualitative findings have revealed that organizations in the context of healthcare industry as compared to previous studies
have now recognized the value the of employees and considered them in education sector(Anwar et al., 2020) and manufacturing
as an asset organizations (Zaid et al., 2018). The previous works on green HRM
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812 was limited to corporate organizations, thus this study extends green
HRM and OB research (green employee empowerment) in public
in gaining not only economic performance but also the social and healthcare organi
environmental performance. The knowledge and experience of em zations in Pakistan. It also reflects and contributes to literature on hos
ployees about performing green tasks promote organizations to become pital management that how to make hospitals green from the
socially responsible. Hospital managers stressed on the importance behavioural perspectives and the role of green HRM practices in
green HRM and GEE in enhancing the sustainable organizational per improving hospital performance. Moreover, this study showed that
formance. In sum, it is found that sustainable organizational perfor GEE of the healthcare staff has significant impact on all the triple
mance is influenced green HRM. In addition, all Hospital Managers bottom line parameters of performance. Further, more this study also
highlighted the leading role of GEE as a decisive driver of the supported the theoretical stance of(Tariq et al., 2016) who made a
sustainable performance. Hospital Managers agreed that committed proposition of the mediating role of green employee empowerment
staff in terms of green initiatives plan and establishes environmental and revealed the pos itive role of GEE in improving sustainable
policies and execute them in a refined manner. organizational performance therefore, this study adds to the literature
by revealing less-researched
7. Implications of the study mediating role of GEE between green HRM and performance. Third,
the current study is cross-disciplinary as the study is merging
7.1. Theoretical implications

From the theoretical point of view, the current study contributes by

23
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar Lastly, to overcome the limitation of one method, the study con
tributes to the literature by advancing knowledge on green HRM and
two perspectives, environmental management and Human resource Performance relationship by deploying mixed method. Previous studies
management and according to Whetten (1989) cross-disciplinary study in green HRM and performance literature either used quantitative
adds to theory building. This study shows that researchers from the (Shoaib et al., 2022)or qualitative examination(Islam et al., 2020).
domain of environmental management can also take HR factors crucial However, mixed method studies were ignored and to address this gap,
for environmental planning in the light of AMO and SET paradigm. By this study utilized mixed method approach. By deploying mixed
combining the two domains HR and environmental management for method approach, this study draws attention towards importance of
improving sustainable performance, this study contributes on green one factor that is green performance appraisal and rewards which
HRM literature(D. W. Renwick et al., 2013) and environmental man have been found to have insignificant relationship with sustainable
agement literature(Charbel Jos´e Chiappetta Jabbour et al., 2010) that organizational per formance in the quantitative segment of the study
HR collaboration with environmental management supports employees and during the interview sessions, the hospital managers highlighted
to perform green tasks and creates a win-win scenario for that public orga nizations have different mindset for rewarding
organizations. employees and still change management is required to overcome the
issues of proper per formance appraisals and rewards. In addition to systems is needed for waste reduction. There is also a need for social
this, no financial in centives were provided to employees due to lack of transition initiatives and healthcare professionals such as doctors,
funds by the government. However, hospital managers agreed that nurses, paramedical staff can play a role in reducing environ mental
providing money rewards can brings benefits. and climate related risks in healthcare. Innovative measures are
required to reduce the carbon emission generated from the healthcare
7.2. Practical implications and to further improve the sustainability performance of the hospitals,
there is need of artificial intelligence supported green HRM systems.
The findings of the current research provide evidence-based
practical implications to healthcare industry about the significance 8. Study limitations and future avenues
and contri butions of different green HRM practices towards green
employee empowerment and sustainable organizational performance. This study also has limitations which gives room for future works.
The results will provide direction to the policy makers in the First, the current study is based on self-report subjective data for pre
healthcare industry to shape and transform healthcare staff towards dicting sustainable organizational performance this is due to the
green behaviour and to improve hospital performance. Recruitment missing of publicly available objective data. Second, this study was
and selection from the green perspectives will enable hospitals to hire conducted among only public healthcare hospitals in Pakistan and it
employees having environmental mindset. In addition to this green cannot be generalized to private hospitals or other service and
training and develop ment programs to solve environmental issues will manufacturing or ganizations therefore validity of the current study is
provide them up to date knowledge and they will be more likely only limited public hospitals in Pakistan listed in the Ministry of
engaged in green initiatives and hospital staff will put extra effort for Health Pakistan. Future studies can be done on HRM and performance
the environmental manage ment of the hospital. Similarly, green relationship in other sectors to see the potential of green HRM
performance appraisal and re wards, particularly in the form of practices. Although the data was collected from the Asian country
financial incentives will motivate the employee to present their full Pakistan, but the results cannot be applicable to other Asian states
effort in performing green tasks. The green employee empowerment located nearby due to cross country and cultural variations. Future
initiatives in the hospitals can help policy makers and top researchers can collaborate to have more in depth understating of
management of the hospital to take suggestion from the managers and cross-country variations in relation to green HRM practices. Third the
lower staff in solving the environmental issues of the hospital data was collected from only hospital managers working in the public
particularly healthcare waste which is causing serious envi ronmental healthcare sector of Pakistan and as there are also other individuals in
damages in Pakistan. Through this study, hospital managers are the hospitals therefore it is also a limitation of the study. Future
suggested to finance more in green initiatives to take benefits and to research can consider non-managerial staff in hospitals to see how
improve hospital performance. Examples of these green initiatives are they respond to green HRM and green employee empowerment
healthcare waste reduction, improvement in the healthcare emissions initiatives. Fourth, data that was collected at specific point of time
rate. The mediation model developed in this study will help hospital (cross sectional), so future studies can collect longitudinal data to
managers and the healthcare sector to promote green initiatives as well improve the validity of results. Finally, the current study only relied
as it will also guide to those hospitals to improve their hospital perfor three green HRM practices and one mediating variable green
mance that are not following the green HRM practices and green employee empowerment in predicting sustainable organizational
empowerment initiatives. Moreover, it will also direct hospitals to performance. Future studies can use other green HRM practices like
facilitate green organizational culture, preventing the generation of green work life balance and other mediating variables like green
waste and improving service quality of hospitals. knowledge sharing behaviour, green commitment, green
organizational culture in predicting sustainable organizational
7.3. Implications for cleaner production and business sustainability With performance. Despite all these limitations that have been addressed
above, the current study has made an important contribution to the
empirical evidence, the present study endorsed that to improve body of literature by highlighting gaps and this study not cover the
gaps but also provides a future avenue in the field of green HRM, OB
Journal of Cleaner Production 434 (2024) 139812 and sustainable organizational performance.

sustainable organizational performance, green HRM practices should Funding

be implemented. The study showed that green employee
empowerment is a powerful initiative that can be taken by The author received funding for his PhD from Higher Education
organizations to solve envi ronmental problems and when employees Commission Pakistan.
are empowered to do green tasks it helps an organization to achieve
sustainability objectives and accidents can be prevented. As the CRediT authorship contribution statement
healthcare waste is considered as toxic waste and recent pandemic of
Covid-19 impacted the human and environmental health so badly that Muhammad Hamza Khan: Conceptualization, Design of Work,
there is need to improve healthcare waste management systems and Data Collection, Formal analysis, Interpretation, Writing – original
need of new digital technologies such as artificial intelligence for draft. Syaharizatul Noorizwan Muktar: Critical revision and
detecting healthcare waste, its processing and safe disposal using improvement, final approval of the version to be published.
geographical analysis. Cleaner production tech niques must be
incorporated for green healthcare systems, design of digital healthcare

24
M.H. Khan and S.N. Muktar

This Study is a PhD Project conducted by Muhammad Hamza Khan

Declaration of competing interest at Faculty of Management Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The author
wants to thank Dr Syaharizatul Noorizwan Muktar for supervising PhD
None. study. The author declares no conflict of Interest.

Data availability
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