The place of human resource in developing workplace green behaviour model for eThekwini Municipality Durban, South Africa.
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Date
2020
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Abstract
Green human resources management practice is a pro-environmental behavioural strategy that
can be employed by HRM departments or HR managers to make their organization adopt a
green workplace culture or behaviour. Municipal government institutions, with their services centred
focus, can help its employees and citizens, in general, adopt a pro-environmental
behaviour lifestyle. Adoption of pro-environmental behaviours can help save the environment
from the scourge of climate change and global environmental challenges. This study aimed to
develop a workplace green behaviour model for a municipal institution and its employees. This
way, employees can engage in environmentally sustainable practices. Consequently, the
employees will contribute to saving the global environment by adopting green practices at their
workplace. The study was a mixed-method empirical study conducted among the HR
employees of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa.
Data was collected through an in-depth interview schedule and a self- administered
questionnaire survey. Results indicated that GHRM was not in use or in place at the selected
municipal organization. Despite the absence of a GHRM strategy or policy, there were partial
green recruitment structures in place for the employees. Green reward and compensation also
used to have a recognition award for environmental sustainability initiatives, but presently this
is no longer in practice. Although environmental sustainability was acknowledged by the
municipality management in the integrated development plan (IDP) as one of the municipal
goals, there was nothing to indicate managerial support and other efforts to reach the goal by
the management. The findings from the data analysis also showed that the GHRM practices
(green recruitment, green training, green reward & compensation, green performance
management, and management support) were all significantly positive to influence employee
workplace green behaviours.
The study recommends that managerial support should institute green centred policies, the
inclusion of the policies into the city’s strategic vision and mission, providing special funds for
green projects, and drive a consistent massive awareness campaign. A further recommendation
suggests that all GHRM practices, such as green recruitment, green training, green reward &
compensation, green performance management, and managerial support, must be deliberately
applied as a whole and not in part to achieve the desired pro-environmental behaviour. The
significant contribution of this study was the proposed conceptual model on how to implement
and operationalize greening culture at the municipality.
Description
Doctoral Degrees. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.