PEOPLE AND ORGANISATIONS: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS MN7234ESES

In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, organisations are no longer judged solely on financial performance but also on their ability to sustain long-term value for employees, society, and the environment. This has led to the growing importance of Sustainable Human Resource Management (Sustainable HRM), which focuses on balancing organisational performance with employee well-being and social responsibility. As global challenges such as economic instability, climate change, and workforce transformation intensify, Sustainable HRM has become a critical approach for future-ready organisations. Sustainable HRM refers to the adoption of HR practices that not only enhance organisational performance but also ensure the long-term well-being of employees and society. According to Ehnert Ina , Sustainable HRM integrates economic, social, and environmental objectives into HR strategies, ensuring that organisations operate responsibly while maintaining competitiveness (Ehnert, 2009). From ...

Employee motivation is a fundamental factor influencing performance, productivity, and organisational success. In today’s rapidly changing business environment, organisations are realising that financial rewards alone are not enough to sustain long-term motivation. Instead, employees are increasingly driven by psychological, social, and developmental factors that shape their overall work experience. Employee motivation refers to the internal and external factors that stimulate employees to take action and achieve organisational goals. According to Frederick Herzberg , motivation is influenced by two key factors: hygiene factors (such as salary and working conditions) and motivators (such as recognition, achievement, and growth opportunities) (Herzberg, 1966). While hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction, true motivation comes from intrinsic factors that create job satisfaction. From a theoretical perspective, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs explains that individuals are motivated by ...

Organizational culture is one of the most influential factors shaping employee behaviour, motivation, and overall performance within modern organisations. It represents the shared values, beliefs, and norms that guide how employees interact and work together. In Human Resource Management (HRM), understanding organisational culture is essential because it directly affects employee engagement, decision-making, and organisational effectiveness. Organizational culture can be defined as the collective system of values, assumptions, and practices that shape behaviour within an organisation. According to Edgar Schein , culture exists at three levels: artifacts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions (Schein, 2010). These layers influence how employees think, behave, and respond to organisational expectations. From a theoretical perspective, Organizational Behaviour explains that culture plays a key role in shaping employee attitudes and workplace relationships. A strong and positive cul...

In today’s knowledge-driven economy, talent has become one of the most valuable assets for organisations. Companies are no longer competing only through products or services, but through the skills, creativity, and capabilities of their workforce. As a result, talent management has emerged as a critical function of Human Resource Management (HRM), focusing on attracting, developing, and retaining high-performing employees. Talent management refers to a strategic approach to managing an organisation’s workforce to ensure that the right people are in the right roles at the right time. According to David Collings and Kamel Mellahi , talent management involves systematic activities such as workforce planning, recruitment, development, and retention strategies aimed at achieving organisational goals (Collings and Mellahi, 2009).  From a theoretical perspective, Resource-Based View suggests that organisations gain competitive advantage through valuable, rare, and inimitable resources. ...

In today’s globalised business environment, workplace diversity and inclusion have become essential elements of effective Human Resource Management (HRM). Organisations are increasingly recognising that diverse workforces lead to better innovation, improved decision-making, and stronger organisational performance. However, despite its importance, many organisations still struggle to implement true inclusion beyond surface-level diversity policies. Workplace diversity refers to the presence of differences among employees in terms of gender, ethnicity, age, education, culture, and background. Inclusion, on the other hand, focuses on ensuring that all employees feel valued, respected, and integrated into the organisation. According to R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. , managing diversity is not just about representation but about creating an environment where differences are leveraged for organisational success (Thomas, 1990). From a theoretical perspective, Social Identity Theory developed by He...

In today’s highly competitive business environment, organisations are increasingly focusing on improving employee performance to achieve strategic goals and long-term sustainability. Performance management has become a central function of Human Resource Management (HRM), as it ensures that employee efforts are aligned with organisational objectives. However, when poorly designed or implemented, performance management systems can create stress, dissatisfaction, and disengagement among employees. Performance management refers to the continuous process of planning, monitoring, developing, and evaluating employee performance to ensure alignment with organisational goals. According to Michael Armstrong , performance management is a systematic process that includes goal setting, continuous feedback, coaching, and performance review rather than just annual appraisal (Armstrong, 2020). Similarly, Aguinis (2019) emphasizes that performance management is a continuous cycle that focuses on impro...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the way organizations manage people, especially within Human Resource Management (HRM). From recruitment and selection to performance management and employee engagement, AI is reshaping traditional HR practices. In today’s digital era, organizations are increasingly adopting AI-driven tools to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance decision-making accuracy. However, while AI brings significant advantages, it also raises concerns regarding fairness, ethics, and human judgment in HR processes. AI in HRM refers to the use of machine learning, algorithms, and data analytics to support or automate HR functions such as screening CVs, predicting employee performance, and analysing workforce trends. According to Thomas H. Davenport , AI enables organizations to make more data-driven decisions, improving accuracy and reducing human bias in recruitment and talent management (Davenport, 2018). This has made HR processes faster and more e...

The global workplace has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with remote work becoming a dominant feature of modern employment practices. Accelerated by technological advancement and the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations across the world, including Sri Lanka, have increasingly adopted flexible and remote working arrangements. While remote work offers several advantages such as flexibility and reduced operational costs, it also raises important challenges related to employee performance, communication, and organisational culture. Remote work refers to a working arrangement where employees perform their job duties outside the traditional office environment, often using digital tools and communication platforms. According to Nicholas Bloom , remote work can significantly improve productivity when properly managed, as employees benefit from fewer distractions and greater autonomy (Bloom et al., 2015). However, this depends heavily on job design, managerial support, and o...

In today’s highly competitive business environment, organizations are under constant pressure to improve productivity, innovation, and overall performance. However, sustainable performance cannot be achieved through systems and processes alone; it heavily depends on how engaged employees feel within their workplace. Employee engagement has therefore become a central focus in modern Human Resource Management (HRM), as it directly influences motivation, retention, and organizational success. Employee engagement refers to the emotional, cognitive, and psychological connection employees have with their work and organization. According to William Kahn , engagement occurs when employees experience three psychological conditions: meaningfulness, psychological safety, and availability (Kahn, 1990). When these conditions are met, employees are more likely to invest their full selves into their work roles, resulting in higher performance and commitment. The Job Demands–Resources Model developed...

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive work environment, employee burnout has emerged as a silent yet powerful crisis affecting organizations worldwide. With increasing workloads, tight deadlines, and constant pressure to perform, employees often find themselves physically exhausted and mentally drained. In Sri Lanka, this issue has intensified due to economic instability, job insecurity, and organizational downsizing, making burnout a critical concern for Human Resource Management (HRM). Burnout is not simply about feeling tired; it is a psychological condition characterized by emotional exhaustion, reduced performance, and a sense of detachment from work. According to the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) Model developed by Arnold Bakker and Evangelia Demerouti , burnout occurs when job demands such as workload and pressure exceed the resources available to employees, including support, autonomy, and work-life balance (Bakker and Demerouti, 2007). This imbalance leads to decreased ...