Article: Sustainable HRM practices and their effects on stress, engagement, commitment, and turnover intention Journal: Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal (PIE) 2025 Vol.18 No.2/3 pp.211 - 226 Abstract: Sustainability is becoming more important in German companies. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the relationships between sustainable HRM (SHRM) and various employee performance indicators. Using structural equation modelling, we conducted a quantitative analysis to assess anticipated relationships. We generated and analysed a sample of 228 German employees. Notably, the study found no association between SHRM and employee stress, while SHRM and employee engagement are positively and significantly linked. Additionally, employee engagement serves as an indirect-only mediator between SHRM and employees' turnover intentions. This paper advances the literature by firstly creating a framework of SHRM on employee performance indicators. Secondly, the innovative findings - especially the aforementioned mediation - highlight its relevance for theory and practice. The key finding is that employee engagement mediates the relationship from SHRM to turnover intentions. Thus, SHRM is the starting point of indirectly affecting employees' willingness to stay with a company. This is the first study to examine these relationships, underlining its originality and contributions to the academic debate. These findings highlight the strategic importance for companies to focus on SHRM to enhance employee retention. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Sustainable HRM practices and their effects on stress, engagement, commitment, and turnover intention

Authors: Henning Tirrel; Marleen Christ

Addresses: FOM University of Applied Sciences, Martin-Luther-King-Weg 30/30a, 48155 Münster, Germany ' University of Applied Sciences, Emden/Leer, Constantiaplatz 4, 26723 Emden, Germany

Abstract: Sustainability is becoming more important in German companies. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the relationships between sustainable HRM (SHRM) and various employee performance indicators. Using structural equation modelling, we conducted a quantitative analysis to assess anticipated relationships. We generated and analysed a sample of 228 German employees. Notably, the study found no association between SHRM and employee stress, while SHRM and employee engagement are positively and significantly linked. Additionally, employee engagement serves as an indirect-only mediator between SHRM and employees' turnover intentions. This paper advances the literature by firstly creating a framework of SHRM on employee performance indicators. Secondly, the innovative findings - especially the aforementioned mediation - highlight its relevance for theory and practice. The key finding is that employee engagement mediates the relationship from SHRM to turnover intentions. Thus, SHRM is the starting point of indirectly affecting employees' willingness to stay with a company. This is the first study to examine these relationships, underlining its originality and contributions to the academic debate. These findings highlight the strategic importance for companies to focus on SHRM to enhance employee retention.

Keywords: sustainable human resource management; SHRM; commitment; turnover; stress; employee performance; PLS-SEM; Germany; War for Talent; conceptual framework.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2025.151219

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2025 Vol.18 No.2/3, pp.211 - 226

Received: 17 Dec 2024
Accepted: 19 May 2025
Published online: 19 Jan 2026 *

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Title: Sustainable HRM practices and their effects on stress, engagement, commitment, and turnover intention

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