Abstract:
Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) is increasingly recognized as a
strategic approach for promoting sustainable organizational performance and
cultivating an environmentally responsible workplace culture. Within Sri Lanka’s
fast-growing garment industry, GHRM practices are especially relevant due to the
sector’s human resource intensity and environmental impact. Despite extensive
research in developed economies, empirical evidence from Sri Lanka remains scarce.
This study seeks to address this gap by examining how GHRM practices influence
employees’ voluntary behaviour in the garment sector of the Kurunegala District, Sri
Lanka. The research evaluates five dimensions of GHRM—green job design, green
recruitment and selection, green training and development, green performance
appraisal, and green compensation and rewards—and their impact on employee
voluntary behaviour. A quantitative research design was employed, with primary data
collected from 240 employees of randomly selected garment factories through
structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using regression and descriptive
statistical techniques. Results indicate that four GHRM practices of green job design,
green recruitment and selection, green training and development, and green
compensation and rewards, significantly and positively influence employee voluntary
behaviour. The results highlight the strategic role of environmentally congruent HR
practices in building a more committed and responsible workforce. Employees who
perceived their firm's HR policies as being environmentally responsible had stronger
voluntary behaviour that are beneficial to their firm as well as to the environment.
Although limited to garment factories within a single district, the study contributes
valuable insights into how GHRM can drive employee-driven sustainability in
developing contexts. Policymakers and practitioners are encouraged to strengthen
GHRM implementation to enhance sustainable performance and long-term
organizational success.
