Unpacking Internal Sustainability Mechanisms: The Mediating Role of ESG Practices and the Moderating Role of Seniority Between Green HRM and Employee Green Behavior

This study examines how green human resource management (GHRM) influences hotel employees' green behavior, highlighting the mediating role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices and the moderating effect of employee seniority. Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), we argue that employees reciprocate organizational sustainability commitments when they perceive visible ESG initiatives embedded within HRM practices. Using survey data from hotel employees and structural equation modeling, we tested a focused set of hypotheses and found that GHRM significantly enhances employees' ESG perceptions, which in turn drive stronger green behavior, suggesting that ESG practices are the pivotal mechanism linking HRM to employee action. The mediation effect holds across groups and is stronger among staff with under 3 years' seniority. The findings clarify internal sustainability mechanisms, extend SET in hospitality, and offer practical guidance: embed ESG within HRM and foster a supportive green climate to align employees with sustainability goals.