Green HRM Practices and Employee Voluntary Behaviour: Evidence from Sri Lankan Garment Industry

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.