Staying to Care: How Green HRM Practices Foster Employee Commitment through Retention in the Airline Industry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54489/ijtim.v5i1.528Keywords:
Green HRM, Employee Retention, Employee Commitment, Mediation, Airline Industry, SustainabilityAbstract
This study examines how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices influence employee commitment through the mediating role of employee retention in the airline industry. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, Side-Bet Theory, and the Resource-Based View, the study conceptualizes retention as the behavioral mechanism that translates green HR policies into enduring commitment. Data were collected from 100 HR managers representing multiple Gulf-region airlines and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (SmartPLS 4). Results reveal that GHRM positively affects both retention and commitment, while retention strongly predicts commitment. The indirect effect of GHRM on commitment via retention confirms partial mediation. The model explains 39.8% of commitment variance and demonstrates medium predictive relevance. The findings highlight that environmentally responsible HR systems strengthen workforce stability and loyalty, showing that employees “stay to care” when ecological values are embedded in HR policies. The study contributes theoretical and managerial insights on aligning environmental and human sustainability in service-intensive industries.
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