Purpose This paper aims to explore the intersection of leadership and goal-setting research, focusing on the impact of paradoxical leadership (PL) on employees’ work goal progress (WGP). Drawing on social information processing theory and goal-setting theory, our research elucidates how PL influences employees’ WGP through subordinates’ perceptions of leader goal clarity and their clear self-set goals (CSG). Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses of the study were empirically tested using a 4-wave, 2-source survey methodology involving 387 supervisor-subordinate pairs from a large Chinese tourism company. Findings The study reveals that PL negatively impacts perceived leader goal clarity and CSG, thereby impeding WGP. Additionally, it is found that clear organization-set goals (COG) can reduce the reliance on leader goal clarity and mitigate the adverse effects of PL on WGP. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by demonstrating the potential negative consequences of PL on WGP and highlighting the importance of COG as a boundary condition. It integrates leadership and goal-setting research to provide a comprehensive understanding of the psychological processes through which leaders influence subordinates’ WGP.

Purpose This study investigated human resource (HR) practices on Sri Lankan tea plantations regarding the degree to which these fit into the extant notion of High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS). The Sri Lankan tea plantations meet the criteria for sustainable organizational long-term performance. Design/methodology/approach Interviews, thematically analysed, were conducted with the management, the workers and the unions. Findings Both the nature of practices within each HPWS sub-system (people flow, performance and rewards and opportunities for employee involvement), and partly the sub-systems themselves, are substantially different in the plantations from those presumed in the HPWS literature. To illustrate, the following key ingredients of HPWS as seen in the literature were in essence absent: sophisticated recruitment and selection, systematic training and development, internal promotion opportunities and broad career paths, formal appraisal mechanisms, job design to allow worker autonomy, open communication and information sharing. Teamwork, though utilized, was seen as problematic by all parties. Nonetheless, these HR systems have enabled bottom-line performance along with employee well-being and stability in the local communities over many decades. The data also suggested that company paternalism served as an overarching mentality in the way employees were managed. Practical implications “State-of-the-art” HR practices that aim at a lean workforce that is constantly stretched to perform and develop themselves without consideration of the workers’ personal lives and the sustainability of the community may not be the only alternative. Organizational performance that is sustainable in the long-term may be feasible under a paternalistic HR philosophy that manifests itself in HR practices geared towards the interests of all stakeholders, including the workers and the local community. Originality/value The study contributes by demonstrating that the way high-performance HRM is typically considered may not be the single alternative available, especially if we aim to achieve a balance between performance in the long-term, the well-being of employees and serving the community.

Purpose In the evolving digital era, marked by the gig economy and remote work, the dynamics between individuals and their jobs have profound implications for employees' job embeddedness. This study provides an up-to-date and comprehensive meta-analysis of the effects of job embeddedness on work and non-work outcomes, thereby offering strategic insights into talent management during this new era of opportunities and challenges. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted using a dataset of 272 effect sizes derived from 250 articles (N = 111,592) to examine the relationships between job embeddedness and its outcomes. Meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) was employed to test the hypothesized mediating mechanisms. Findings The results reveal significant effects of job embeddedness on most work and non-work outcomes. Additionally, the study identifies key moderating factors that shape these relationships, highlighting variations based on cultural, demographic, and research design factors. Mediation tests further show that job satisfaction and job stress serve as critical pathways through which on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness influence employee outcomes. Originality/value This study advances job embeddedness research by systematically integrating existing findings and resolving inconsistencies through meta-analysis. By differentiating the effects of on-the-job, off-the-job, and occupational embeddedness and uncovering moderating and mediating processes, it offers novel insights into the mechanisms underlying job embeddedness and its impact in the contemporary work landscape.

Purpose When organizations are faced with adversity, they often react by implementing certain human resource management (HRM) practices. This study aims to investigate how organizations tend to combine these HRM reactions into HRM bundles and how these bundles relate to organizational size and activity level. Design/methodology/approach In the current study among organizational representatives (n = 303 at time 1, n = 427 at time 2, n = 203 at time 3, n = 143 at time 4, and n = 132 at time 5), we use latent class analysis to uncover HRM bundles. Findings HRM reactions can be classified into three classes, i.e. a promotion-focused class, a prevention-focused class and a minimal adaptation class. Minimal adaptation was more likely to be prevalent in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Moreover, the promotion-focused class, compared with the other classes, was linked with a higher activity level. Finally, class occurrences seemed to change as the crisis situation progressed. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. Originality/value Arguably offering a more realistic image of HRM reactions in times of crisis, this study is the first to underline the occurrence of HRM bundles (rather than individually adopted practices), proposing a framework and describing when and by whom the bundles are typically applied.

Purpose As organizations increasingly adopt data-driven technologies to support fast, reliable and predictive workforce decisions, human resource analytics (HRA) has emerged as a critical enabler of strategic human resource management (HRM). Despite its growing importance, there remains a lack of conceptual clarity on how to systematically develop HRA capabilities within organizations. This study seeks to address this gap by identifying the key components required to build robust HRA capability architecture. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in the theoretical lens of the capabilities-based view (CBV) this study employs a systematic literature review and thematic analysis of 198 peer-reviewed research articles to extract patterns and themes related to the development of HRA capabilities. Findings The analysis revealed four overarching capability dimensions essential for building an HRA capability architecture: business assimilation capability, data management capability, organizational process capability and analytical capability. These are further unpacked into 11 sub-themes, including the role of HRA, goals of HRA, human resource (HR) data, determinants of HRA, applications of HRA, level of analysis in HRA, HRA techniques, competencies for HRA, use of information technology (IT) tools, challenges of HRA and stakeholders of HRA. Research limitations/implications This study advances the theoretical understanding of HR analytics by adopting the CBV to conceptualize the architecture required for HRA capability development in organizations. Practical implications Organizations seeking to develop robust HRA functions can benefit from the comprehensive capability framework proposed in this study. The four dimensions – business assimilation, data management, organizational process and analytical capability – serve as actionable pillars for designing HRA initiatives. HR leaders and analytics practitioners can use the 11 sub-themes as a diagnostic tool to assess maturity, identify capability gaps and align HRA investments with strategic business objectives. The framework also assists in integrating IT tools, developing analytics talent and navigating implementation challenges. It promotes a structured approach to embedding analytics in HR decision-making processes across diverse organizational contexts. Social implications By enhancing HRA capabilities, organizations can foster more equitable, transparent and data-driven HR practices that benefit employees and stakeholders alike. Improved analytics can support fair hiring, inclusive workforce planning, and objective performance management. Moreover, the framework emphasizes stakeholder engagement, highlighting the social dynamics necessary for successful HRA integration. This approach supports the ethical deployment of people analytics, ensuring that technological advancements in HR serve human-centered outcomes rather than solely organizational efficiency. Originality/value This research offers a novel and comprehensive HRA capability architecture grounded in a CBV, filling a crucial gap in both academic and practitioner-oriented literature. The framework provides a unifying structure to guide both theoretical inquiry and practical implementation, marking a significant step toward institutionalizing analytics within HRM. Its relevance extends to organizations navigating digital transformation, offering a strategic roadmap for embedding analytics into human capital decision-making processes.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a theory of employees’ orientations towards homeworking based on paradox theory and Biron’s dynamic theory of teleworking and an empirical study of homeworkers’ experience of it. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the lens of paradox theory and Biron’s dynamic theory of teleworking alongside data representing university staff’s experience during COVID-19 collected through 11 focus groups involving 86 academic and professional services staff in two English universities in 2021. Findings The pivotal finding is the discovery of two paradoxes in homeworking: (1) a lack of social interaction generates a lack of interruptions and (2) increased contact with family members means work intrudes into the home more, and makes detachment from work more difficult. These paradoxes created tensions for employees, which they managed in various ways, but particularly through job crafting and boundary management; and the extent of the success of this management, particularly in aiding work performance, was a major influence on employees’ orientation towards homeworking and its role in their future lives. Participants said that they had been more effective, but not necessarily more efficient. Research limitations/implications Hypotheses are developed about the determination of orientations towards homeworking that can be tested by quantitative studies centred on the management of homeworking’s inherent paradoxes. The strengths and limitations of the study reflect the focus group method, but generalization of the theory and key results to other professional occupations and beyond seems plausible. Practical implications Hybrid working is a way of managing homeworking’s contradictions and helping people manage them. Human resource managers need to approach its introduction strategically and involve the workforce in its design. Social implications The majority of people whose work lends itself to homeworking have positive orientations to it. Some express complete approval, ideally never wanting to work anywhere else. We might expect its increased use to remain a permanent feature of the employment landscape. Originality/value Most homeworking research has not considered the application of the paradox concept or the learning and job crafting of homeworkers. The autonomy paradox, which has figured in the homeworking literature, is shown to be misleading – more telling generative paradoxes are unearthed in this research.

Purpose This paper seeks a deeper understanding of how award-winning companies create human resources (HR) innovation in the developing country of Thailand. Design/methodology/approach This paper incorporates an innovative approach of qualitative in-depth exploratory case study of eight companies through observation, document analysis and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 29 HR practitioners. Data were recorded, transcribed verbatim, processed to maintain anonymity and analysed using template analysis. Findings A model is proposed to understand how to create HR innovation through evidence-based practices using the (input, process and output) IPO model to analyse systems with a holistic view. It was found that four specific inputs, namely top management support, the roles of the HR department, information technology department and employees influenced the processes through five practices. These are talent management programmes, creating an innovation culture, having an agile team, collaboration with external partners and innovation competitions. These results suggest that HR innovation and other empirical outcomes, particularly social impact can be built if its implementation is undertaken effective HR practices. Research limitations/implications This paper is based on award-winning businesses, which are all large firms. Therefore, to increase the applicability of the findings to small and medium enterprises, more studies are needed. Practical implications HR practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders may be able to use the findings as guidelines for creating HR innovations. Social implications This proposed model can be profitably employed to strengthen businesses and positively impact society. Originality/value The new insights into creating HR innovation are offered as a model for more sustainable and profitable businesses.

PurposeThe goal of this research is to examine why and how disgruntled targets of workplace injustice might eschew the traditional, destructive forms of revenge and opt for positive, useful and productive work outcomes in retaliation to perceived injustice.Design/methodology/approachIn this qualitative inquiry, a grounded theory approach along with a machine learning topic modeling analysis was employed to outline a novel phenomenon in which the targets of source-specific, hierarchical workplace injustice respond in ways that are constructive (instead of destructive) to themselves, others or the organization.FindingsGrounded theory analysis of our dataset generated concepts outlining the individual, professional, interpersonal and contextual components organized into internal and external dynamics to illustrate why and how targets of workplace injustice choose constructive (over destructive) responses; an aggregate dimension we call constructive retaliation. Two follow-up machine learning analyses were conducted to (1) objectively compare our initial findings for confirmability; and (2) differentiate high-positivity responses from those of low positivity to identify when individuals engage in constructive retaliation. The analyses suggested the respondents’ capacity to “rise above injustice” with more constructive outcomes based on the level of positivity experienced.Originality/valueOur research considers why and how recipients of workplace injustice may elect to engage in constructive instead of destructive revenge. Given that the existing research has conceptualized revenge as an almost exclusively negative phenomenon, the idea that behavioral and cognitive retribution could fall within a positive spectrum is novel. Our paper suggests that the forces behind destructive revenge may be channeled by some targets to generate constructive behavior while also generating a sense of retribution. We believe this is a fruitful area for future theorizing and empirical work and we hope this paper will encourage such exploration.

PurposeThe fusion of human intelligence with artificial intelligence is a promising approach for addressing complex challenges, giving rise to the concept of hybrid intelligence. However, principles for guiding the design and management of hybrid intelligence are lacking. This study addresses this gap by exploring the key characteristics of job positions necessary for effective hybrid intelligence. Drawing upon the job characteristic theory (JCT), we identify key job features relevant to hybrid intelligence work, elucidating the challenges and considerations inherent in this domain.Design/methodology/approachThe study conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with middle-level managers from ten service companies in China, exploring their experiences with human–AI collaboration within their organisations. The analysis employed both inductive and deductive methods. Inductive coding was used to identify emerging themes from the participants’ responses, while the deductive approach ensured that these themes aligned with the research questions and Hackman and Oldham’s JCT.FindingsThe results contribute to our understanding of the job positions required for successful hybrid intelligence implementation, offering both theoretical and practical perspectives on job design and JCT applications in the era of intelligent technologies.Originality/valueOur findings illuminate the critical job characteristics essential for integrating hybrid intelligence into organisational systems, highlighting the evolution of job roles and the implications for effective job design in the intelligent era. These insights inform the ongoing discourse on job design and adaptation in the face of rapidly evolving technological advancements, guiding organisations seeking to harness the full potential of hybrid intelligence.

PurposeObesity is a serious workplace issue that imposes considerable burdens on both employees and organizations. Notably, its prevalence increased significantly among employees transitioning to working from home during the recent pandemic. As telework, whether full-time or hybrid, is poised to become a standard feature of future workplaces, it is imperative to examine its impact on obesity thoroughly. This scoping review explores how telework influences employees’ obesity, a topic that has been insufficiently addressed in management literature.Design/methodology/approachThis study is a scoping review. Scopus was used to identify studies in the field. In total, 17 papers published in the last two decades were examined.FindingsThe results showed that the effects of telework on employees’ obesity are understudied in management research. There is heterogeneity related to these effects. Employees’ habits and lives are significant factors that explain these effects. There are differences related to socioeconomic and sociodemographic characteristics. Moreover, most examined outcomes are related to employees’ health. Organizational outcomes are overlooked in the reviewed studies.Practical implicationsThis study provides insights and recommendations for researchers, managers, HRM practitioners and policymakers. Prioritizing interventions and strategies to prevent obesity among teleworkers is necessary to ensure employees’ health and the sustainability of their careers and performance at work.Originality/valueThere is a shortage of studies examining the effects of telework on employees’ obesity. Most studies are from health sciences, and these effects are largely ignored in management literature, especially within human resource management (HRM). At the same time, this field is expected to be a natural home for this topic, as it concerns employees’ health and has a significant impact on their behaviors and performance at work. This study adds evidence and broadens the scope of occupational health and human resource management research.