Exploring the Micro-Translation of Green HRM Initiatives through the Lens of Line Managers

Abstract

Environmental sustainability presently impacts organisational practices in the recruitment, development, evaluation, and support of personnel; however, there remains a considerable deficiency in comprehension regarding the transition of green human resource management initiatives from formal policy to practical application. This study addresses the existing gap by examining the micro-translation of green human resource management initiatives from the viewpoint of line managers, whose decisions connect strategic objectives and operational realities. The study emphasises the need for more attention to the human and managerial dynamics that determine whether environmental objectives result in meaningful workplace activities or remain mere symbolic commitments. The aim is to understand how line managers perceive and implement green human resource management in their daily activities, identify the managerial and organisational factors that enable or obstruct this process, and analyse how managerial competence, support, and resources affect implementation outcomes. The study employs a qualitative design utilising sensemaking theory and a micro-foundations perspective, featuring semi-structured interviews with ten-line managers from manufacturing and service organisations that have established formal sustainability objectives, along with an analysis of organisational documents. It analyses primary qualitative data through inductive thematic analysis to discern recurring patterns in interpretation, action, and constraint. The findings demonstrate that line managers execute green projects more effectively when businesses provide clear objectives, practical training, matched incentives, and a supportive culture that incorporates environmental issues with core business objectives. The research demonstrates that unclear objectives, lack of direction, insufficient resources, and contradictory performance incentives reduce implementation to mere compliance. These insights augment academic understanding of the development of sustainability policies at the managerial level and offer pragmatic advantages for policymakers and business executives seeking more efficient execution. Although the study depends on a limited qualitative sample and a narrow organisational context, it offers important opportunities for comparative and longitudinal research, prompting readers to reconsider line managers as crucial agents in converting environmental objectives into concrete organisational practices.