How green HR practices drive sustainability: insights into thriving at work and justice

Purpose This study examines the impact of green human resource management (GHRM) on employee green behavior (EGB), with thriving at work (TAW) as a mediating mechanism and overall justice (OJ) as a boundary condition. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a survey of employees working in Chinese manufacturing organizations. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed relationships using Mplus software. Findings The findings show that GHRM positively influences EGB. TAW mediates the relationship between GHRM and EGB. In addition, OJ strengthens the relationship between TAW and EGB, such that the relationship is stronger when employees perceive higher levels of overall justice. Practical implications The study highlights the importance of implementing GHRM practices to encourage employees’ sustainable workplace behavior. It also shows that organizations can strengthen EGB by fostering employees’ thriving at work and maintaining a fair organizational climate. Originality/value This study extends the green HRM literature by explaining how GHRM promotes EGB through TAW and by showing when this relationship becomes stronger through OJ.