Human Resources Management and Sustainable Careers International Conference Sustainable...

Human Resources Management and Sustainable Careers

International Conference Sustainable Employability: Challenges for HRM Innovation

November 12, 2013

Judith Semeijn, Tinka van Vuuren & Monique Veld

School of Management

Open University in the Netherlands (OUNL)

HRM & Substainable CareersPagina 2

Contents

• Context

• Concept of Sustainable Careers

• HRM focus on sustainable outcomes?

• Vitalizing HRM and Sustainable Careers

• Recommendations for research

• Considerations/questions for practice


Context

• Aging workforce

• Reduction of ‘senior’ arrangements in Collective Labour Agreements (CAO’s)

• Low mobility of older employees

• (less) younger workers, with different needs

• In a continuous changing world of work (24/7), in search for a more sustainable future…

Who has a sustainable career?


Sustainable labor participation: degree to which employees are willing and able to carry out their current and future work (Van Vuuren, 2012)

Work ability

Vitality

Employability


Sustainable Careers

• Career is the pattern of an individual’s work-related experiences acquired during the course of one’s professional life (Greenhaus, Callahan & Godshalk, 2010; Hall, 2002)

• Sustainable Career is the pattern of an individual’s work-related experiences while remaining healthy, vital and employable during the course of one’s professional life

• Sustainable Career refers to a sustainable labor market participation of an individual throughout his or her working life.


Does HRM foster sustainable outcomes/sustainable careers?

• HRM focus on organizational interest (profit by performance)

• Research supports HRM influences performance (see research of e.g. Guest & Conway, 2011; Huselid, 1995, Boselie, Dietz, & Boon, 2005)

• HRM also focus on people’s interest and societal interests (people, planet)

• see e.g. Ehnert & Wes (2012), Paauwe (2009) but findings show this is not always the case (e.g., Kroon,Van der Voorde & Van Veldhoven, 2009)


Focus: Vitalizing HRM (individual level)

• Not only focus on action/measures aimed at preventing wear and tear, dysfunction and absenteeism (Van Vuuren, 2012).

• But also focus on action/measures aimed at strengthening psychological well being (Ouweneel, Schaufeli & Le Blanc, 2009), and analogous on strengtening work ability, vitality and employability of employees (Van Vuuren, 2012).


Vitalizing HR activities based on AMO model (Appelbaum et al, 2000)

OpportunityAbility

Motivation

SelectionTrainingRemuneration

Internal promotionCoachingPerformance rewards

Job/work securityParticipationLearning climate

Annual appraisals


A few known studies... on relation perceived vitalizing HR and sustainable outcomes (individual level)

• Dorenbosch, L. (2009): Management by Vitality; examining the ‘active’ well-being and performance outcomes of HPWS at the Work Unit Level.

• Kooij, D. (2010): Motivating older workers; a life span perspective on the role of perceived HR practices

• Caniëls, Semeijn & Van Vuuren (2011), Van Vuuren, Van der Meeren & Semeijn (2013), Veld, Semeijn & Van Vuuren (2013): aimed at the relation between perceived HRM and sustainable employability.

Summary of Findings (1)

• Especially flexible internal personnel solutions, training and development, and horizontal & vertical mobility activities are beneficial (Dorenbosch, 2009)

• Especially HR bundles aimed at learning and development of employees are profitable for workers’ motivation of all ages to have longer working lives (Kooij, 2010)


Summary of Findings (2)

• Especially older workers can profit from HR practices aimed at LLL, for their employability and workability (Caniëls, Van Vuuren & Semeijn, 2011)

• HR activities aimed at training and development are profitable for employability of different types of higher educated employees (Van Vuuren, Van der Meeren & Semeijn, 2013)

• ....and seem to be a shared responsibility of both employer and employee (Veld, Semeijn & Van Vuuren, 2013)



Conclusions

• HRM can affect and contribute to sustainable outcomes for individuals and their careers

• Findings indicate that employees who are supplied with and perceive vitalizing HR activities have better chances for more sustainable outcomes.

• Possible dilemma or paradox for HRM; do we have to choose between performance or sustainable employability?

HRM dilemma?



Recommendations for research

• More research needed on (the combination of) performance outcomes and sustainable outcomes

• Methodological issues for research development; a.o. multi-perspective, multi-level research, longitudinal designs both within- and cross-sectoral research, can add to further insights.

• Findings for relation HR and sustainable careers still scarce (refer to longer term outcomes)


Considerations/questions for practice

• Reflection on priorities; what role do vitalizing HR practices play within the HR policy of organizations?

• Research shows not all HR practices are vitalizing; some of these are more vitalizing than others. Do organizations take these into account?

• Explicit HR attention for older workers is valuable, but is this already common sense in organizations?

Further steps…



Thank you!

Questions?

Remarks?

Judith Semeijn [email protected]

Tinka van Vuuren [email protected]

Monique Veld [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



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