Sustainable human resource management and employee performance: A conceptual framework and research agenda

Sustainable human resource management (sustainable HRM) has grown rapidly as a young but dynamic field of research within the human resource management discipline. However, decades of research have created a diverse and fragmented body of work with distinct but interrelated definitions of sustainable HRM, and scattered knowledge of how it, in its variant forms, affects employees' performance. To move the field forward, we conduct a systematic review to differentiate the literature at the nexus of sustainable HRM and employee performance based on (1) different conceptualizations of key constructs, (2) different measurement scales used, (3) the patterns of relationship explored, and (4) the mediators and moderators studied. Next, we integrate this body of work into a higher-order conceptual framework, revealing the mediation mechanisms and boundary conditions of sustainable HRM and employee performance. Finally, we delineate guidelines for further exploration and understanding of sustainable HRM and its outcomes. In so doing, we contribute to the theoretical advancement of the field of sustainable HRM by enhancing our understanding of key concepts, relationships, and dynamics, and by providing a roadmap for future research.