Demystifying the relationships among green HRM, green work engagement, green innovation and environmental performance: a serial mediation model

Purpose This study aims to demystify the mediating mechanism behind the relationship between green human resource management (HRM) and an organization’s environmental performance with the support of resource-based view theory and social exchange theory. Specifically, this study investigates the sequential mediation of green work engagement and green innovation on the direct effect of green HRM on environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach This quantitative study collected data from 311 employees working in various Indian manufacturing firms using an online survey. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the model fit of the serial mediation model, and PROCESS macro was used to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings of the study revealed the following important results. First, green HRM positively affects an organization’s environmental performance. Second, green work engagement mediates the effect of green HRM on environmental performance. Third, green innovation mediates the effect of green HRM on environmental performance. Fourth, green work engagement and green innovation sequentially mediate the green HRM–environmental relationship. Practical implications This study offers the following practical implications. First, it improves the managerial comprehension of the processes in enhancing environmental performance. Second, it implies that managers need to implement green HRM in their organizations as they play a pivotal role in improving employees’ green work engagement, organizations’ green innovation and environmental performance. Originality/value The present study is one of the primary research works that examined the serial mediating effect of green work engagement and green innovation in the relationship between green HRM and environmental performance. This study enriches the existing literature on green HRM and environmental performance by uncovering the mediating mechanism of green work engagement and green innovation.