South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management

This article attempts to explore the prevalence, forms and responses to workplace bullying through a gendered lens using the theory of gendered organisation and gender role socialisation theory. The study is conducted among faculty in higher education institutions in India, and the article also discusses the context of new managerialism prevalent in higher education institutions. Adopting, interpretive phenomenological analysis, data are collected from 13 respondents using semi-structured in-depth interviews. The data reveal that workplace bullying in higher education institutions is gendered. The five major themes identified are the prevalence of bullying, gender differences in types of bullying, gender and leadership position, gender and responses to bullying and gender roles and reasons for bullying. The article contributes at micro level, the influence of gender in academics on the level of bullying, the types of bullying techniques preferred by them, and the variation in their behavioural reactions. This study broadens the perspective of workplace bullying in higher education institutions through the concepts of gender, culture and new managerialism.

One of the vital concerns of the banking sector, like any other industry, is to avert the departure of its valuable human resources. Although the extant literature has highlighted the influence of organisational and attitudinal factors on employees’ turnover intentions, the research in the context of individual-level factors and negative job attitudes is still scanty. In this regard, the current study seeks to investigate the impact of self-efficacy on bank employees’ turnover intentions. The study also focuses on work alienation as a potential intervening variable between the aforementioned constructs. Data for the present research were collected from 381 Indian bank employees using a purposive cum convenience sampling technique and a standardised questionnaire. The results of partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) depicted that self-efficacy had a significant negative effect on turnover intentions. Work alienation was also discovered to be a significant partial mediator. The present study extends valuable insights to academicians, policy makers and human resources (HR) practitioners for curtailing bank employees’ turnover intentions.

The review of employee well-being literature in the context of human resource management and organisational behaviour advocates that well-being is a major area of consideration for every organisation. Thus, based on job demand resource (JDR) theory, the study aims to examine the influence of job autonomy on the psychological well-being of employees with promotive voice behaviour playing the role of a mediator. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to analyse the cross-sectional data of 206 employees from the Indian service sector. The findings support the direct relationship between job autonomy, employee promotive voice and psychological well-being and further confirm the mediating role of promotive voice between job autonomy and psychological well-being. This study suggests that organisations should delegate authority to their employees to carry out their job roles, as it can improve their voice behaviour and further their psychological well-being. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the mediating effect of promotive voice behaviour between job autonomy and psychological well-being.

The dyadic relationship between subordinate-supervisor garners significant focus within organizational studies and human resource management (HRM), being deemed a perpetual source of the organization’s most direct experiences. Nonetheless, these interactions are transient, as the dyadic and complex nature of their relationship transcends simple exchanges at workplace. The study provides an in-depth analysis of sensemaking in the context of modern-day organizations, particularly focusing on South Asian workplaces. Sensemaking is a cognitive process that individuals undergo when they encounter changes in their work environment, seeking clarity and formulating appropriate responses. The paper examines sensemaking’s influential role in shaping HRM practices. The authors adopted a deductive thematic analysis method to analyze 30 nominated texts using the MAXQDA content analysis tool. The authors propose a conceptual model based on five key themes derived from sensemaking: perception of supervisory behavior, perception of work relationship aspects, perception of workplace culture, opportunities-challenges in HRM practice, and outcomes of subordinate perception informing HRM practice. The study concludes that sensemaking is deeply embedded in the institutional, cultural, and organizational fabric of South Asian workplaces, and it significantly influences HRM practices.

While human resource management (HRM) elements concerning the expansive mining industry have been acknowledged, they still need to be explored. This paper presents a novel and strategic endeavour to construct a benchmark model linking HRM elements specific to the large mining industry. Drawing from an extensive literature review, crucial HRM elements pertinent to the mineral industry are systematically identified and thoroughly examined. The study utilises the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) technique within the context of major Indian mining industries to unveil latent relationships among these HRM-related elements. Through six-phased interactions, a foundational model is established, illuminating these relationships. The findings are poised to positively impact the mining industry, contributing to enhanced system sustainability. Furthermore, this paper represents a pioneering effort as the first research to elucidate the relationship model of HRM elements within the mining industry. It encourages HRM researchers to delve further into the mining industry to address its challenges. This research serves as a foundational study and provides a platform for further investigations by HRM experts, researchers and field personnel, enabling a multifaceted exploration of HRM perspectives.

Recent research has highlighted the importance of emotional well-being and crisis optimism for organisational employees during crisis events. This paper examines the role of emotion regulation strategies, specifically reappraisal and suppression, in fostering emotional well-being and crisis optimism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown crisis. The authors also investigate how emotional intensity moderates the effectiveness of these strategies. A sample of 536 Indian employees was subjected to factor analysis, sentiment analysis and factor score regression. The results demonstrate that reappraisal positively impacts emotional well-being and crisis optimism, while suppression diminishes emotional well-being but increases employee optimism. Notably, high levels of negative emotions exacerbate the adverse effects of suppression on emotional well-being, while slightly amplifying the benefits of reappraisal on optimism. This study sheds light on emotion regulation during organisational crises, emphasising the moderating role of negative emotional intensity.

An understanding of Agile principles and a readiness mindset for human resources professionals play a crucial role in determining the application of Agile for HR in an organisational context. With the rise in extended and non-linear workforce configurations and geo-neutral team arrangements, Agile organisations necessitate that the nature of the HR function evolve from working through traditional architectural models and quickly adopting Agile models of functional excellence. The dearth of literature on understanding and implementing Agile practices in the HR function within enterprises requires a clear examination of the advantages of going Agile for HR. This essay explores the intuitive concept of Agile HR and operating schema, which can develop as a starting point in examining an understanding of how Agile practices in HR can evolve for sustainable enterprises and some challenges that are encountered.

This interview features a prominent disability rights advocate who has been instrumental in shaping the discourse on inclusive human resource management (HRM) in Pakistan. With over two decades of experience in the Disability Movement and a personal background of physical disability, the interviewee offers valuable insights into advancing disability inclusion through HRM policies and practices in the region. The interview delves into the advocate’s perspectives on various issues, including raising organisational awareness, recruiting and retaining employees with disabilities, identifying policy gaps, fostering effective collaborations between HR professionals and disability networks, and introducing innovations in workplace accommodations. It underscores the pressing need for tailored training, improved legal compliance, proactive accessibility audits and continuous engagement with the disability community to foster cultural shifts within organisations. The advocate substantiates her recommendations with illustrations of disability inclusion initiatives, such as internship programmes and partnerships with disabled people’s organisations, that serve as exemplary models. The interview provides a unique perspective on how South Asian and Pakistani organisations can harness the lived experiences and expertise of advocates to advance towards equitable, rights-based HRM that empowers employees with disabilities. The discussion provides valuable perspectives and insights for translating disability rights commitments into tangible strategies for HR practitioners.

Unemployment is an economic issue worldwide. Bhutan is no exception; particularly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic the unemployment figures, particularly, youth unemployment rates in Bhutan were surprising. Despite efforts, the issue still looks elusive and wavering with no major reduction in national unemployment figures. To this end, a comprehension of the underlying issue, the nature of the Bhutanese labour market and an understanding contributing factors are essential. In addition, evaluating the government plans and policies is key. Thus, this study has attempted to analyse the data over the past 10 years, of relevant sources such as labour force surveys, policy documents of the Royal Government of Bhutan, and other related studies. The findings are presented as tables, graphs and descriptive statistics and discussed and concluded accordingly. The study identifies three critical elements referred to as the ‘employment triangle’ that significantly influence labour market dynamics in Bhutan. Moreover, they are demographic transformation, work attitudes and educational deficits. Precisely, youth unemployment in Bhutan is influenced by factors, such as demographic transformation (job security, employee protection, absence of employment-rich economy), work attitude (conventional job choice and preference patterns, negative role of society) and educational deficit (skills mismatch, inadequate national HRD planning and support, lack of skills development or school to work transition initiatives).