Human Resource Management Journal

Abstract

Practitioner notes What is currently known? Socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) is important in connecting the external corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of firms with internal HR practices. SRHRM can increase employee performance through organizational identification. Perceived organizational support moderates the indirect effect of SRHRM on employee performance through organisation identification. What this paper adds? We introduce perceived external prestige as an additional mechanism to explain the pathways from SRHRM to employee performance. We show that different employee HR attributions play a critical role in complementing or supplementing such indirect effects. Drawing on social information processing theory and cue consistency theory, we explain when and why SRHRM relates to employee performance. Implications for practitioners: Firms should consider how CSR activities are designed in conjunction with the management of employees and their role in how employees perceive the organisation. Firms should focus on the cues emanating from why specific HR practices are in place in conjunction with SRHRM so that they provide a consistent message. Organisations should understand the different attributions that employees may have for existing HR practices and how such HR attributions may influence how SRHRM is used to enhance employee outcomes.