Through our topic we would like to further explore the key role sustainability plays in organizations and employee performance as it is something that can no longer be ignored and is a big concern for every modern organization. Not only is sustainability of importance to organizations but to the employees that work for these companies as sustainability is a big determinant in the quality of work an employee will execute.
OB Sources:
Carmeli, A., Brammer, S., Gomes, E., & Tarba, S. Y. (2017). An organizational ethic of care and employee involvement in sustainability-related behaviors: A social identity perspective. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(9), 1380–1395.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1002/job.2185
This research aims to reveal how socio‐psychological mechanisms through organizational‐level influences translate into employee involvement in pro‐sustainability behaviors. In other words, this study looks into the micro-mechanisms and relationships within the workplace influenced by the organization, and how sustainable ideals can be incorporated into these mechanisms at the individual level. Driving sustainable practices within an organization requires the collective effort and involvement of everyone within it, and it is ultimately the employees who make the greatest impact on organization-level results. The importance of Ethics of Care (EoC) is emphasized in this article, as they are fundamentally a company’s organizational concept centered on fulfilling its employees’ needs, valuing their contributions, and promoting their best interests. EoC promotes greater employee involvement in sustainability behaviors for reasons that surround inclusivity, diversity, representation, authentic commitment to sustainability, and resilience by contribution towards a greater effort (of sustainability). Another significant matter mentioned is Organizational Identification (OID), which reflects “the degree to which a member defines themself by the same attributes that they believe define the organization”. Social identity theory–a person’s sense of who they are based on their group membership(s)–additionally plays a substantial role in employee behavior. The intertwining of these values is closely studied here to find ways organizations can adjust their functions towards optimizing both the employee experience and sustainable practices.
Fry, L. W., & Slocum Jr., J. W. (2008). Maximizing the Triple Bottom Line through Spiritual Leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 37(1), 86–96.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2007.11.004
After reading and analyzing the Journal entry, “Maximizing the triple Bottom line through spiritual leadership”, By Lewis Fry and John Slocum Jr., I found that the main focus was on maximizing the triple bottom line, “People, Planet, Profit”, and the aspects of how and what makes a good leader. The Journal goes on to define what it means for organizations to focus on the triple bottom line, and how it is already being incorporated into many successful companies’ leadership. The Journal focuses on why it is important to have multiple leaders in an organization that creates or forms an environment of success, and wellbeing. The authors identify several instances of how employees benefit from a clear company motive, or stance, and how it helps build cohesion and team comradery. It mentions the importance of balancing ethical values with company efficiency, expectations, and how it forms a healthier, more efficient and more representative workplace. The spiritual part of the journal mainly focuses on the personal qualities of leaders, and their ability to communicate through all levels of their business. It is incredibly important that each part of the company, all its employees, processes, services, production understand what part they play in the company and how they help achieve the company’s goal or outlook. This type of leadership and communication maximizes efficiency, while also introducing an environment of trust, where the employees know why they are doing the job they’re doing, and making work a less unfun environment.
Whillans, A. V., & Dunn, E. W. (2015). Thinking about time as money decreases environmental behavior. Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, 127, 44–52.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1016/j.obhdp.2014.12.001
Workers who are paid by the hour are chronically oriented to think about their time as money. As a result, they tend to be less environmental in their behavior at work, considering the opportunity cost that comes along with behaving in an environmental way. Additionally, they tend to be less focused on the needs of their constituents, and much more focused on how they can gain the most for themselves, per hour. A series of studies were conducted that measured the frequency of environmental behavior between hourly-wage workers and salary workers. Experiment one was a simple survey between the two groups. Hourly-wage workers were less environmental. The second study places individuals into an hourly-wage condition or a control condition. Hourly-wage individuals had reduced environmental intentions. The third experiment was similar to that of the second, however it prompted individuals to either recycle paper, or trash it. As expected, hourly-wage individuals were less likely to recycle. (there are two more experiments, all similar with the same results). In sum, it is evident that when people view their time as money, they become overprotective of it, and use it in ways that are perceived to benefit themselves; even if an environmental behavior such as recycling paper takes mere seconds more than not doing it. As a result, organizations may want to reduce the cues that remind workers of the economic value of their time. (if each of the 75 million wage workers in america recycled a pound of paper each year, it would save 28 million trees).
Other Sources:
Nadeem, M., Bahadar, S., Gull, A. A., & Iqbal, U. (2020). Are women eco‐friendly? Board gender diversity and environmental innovation. Business Strategy & the Environment (John Wiley & Sons, Inc), 29(8), 3146–3161.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1002/bse.2563
This source dives into the relationship between the presence of female leadership and its effects on environmental innovation which is also known as green/ eco innovation. A clear relationship is observed early on in which having female leadership present positively affects environmental innovation. Female leadership in an organization/ board brings different perspectives which allow for sensitivity to environmental matters. The importance that women put on their sensitivity for the environment and their willingness to promote such practices allows for further implementation of sustainable practices. Overall, this source is meaningful to our presentation as it further explores the importance of diversity in an organization which further affects employee performance and sustainability practices.
Temminck, E., Mearns, K., & Fruhen, L. (2015). Motivating Employees towards Sustainable Behaviour. Business Strategy & the Environment (John Wiley & Sons, Inc), 24(6), 402–412.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1002/bse.1827
The impact of big corporations moving towards a more environmentally friendly business strategy not only aids in their performance, but also allows for greater innovation opportunities and sustainability achievements. This push towards becoming green however, doesn’t take into account that our behavior affects the environment. Businesses realize that to become greener, they need their employees to participate in organizational citizen behavior (OCB). This has proven to be a challenge however, because there are multiple other factors that need to be taken into consideration in order to facilitate it. By pushing for employees to engage in green habits, the effect is that they feel more supported, thus causing them to be more engaged with the company and are more likely to go above and beyond what is expected. Furthermore, if an employee is devoted to helping the environment and is also committed to their company, they are more likely to replicate that behavior not only at home, but within the company too. If an employee has a great concern for the environment and their POS and organizational commitment is high, then they will have a greater likelihood to push for their company’s green agenda.
Thomas, N. J. R. (2018). Sustainability marketing. The need for a realistic whole systems approach. Journal of Marketing Management, 34(17/18), 1530–1556.
https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1080/0267257X.2018.1547782
Sustainability marketing has a large and broad approach that seems pragmatically suited in dealing with sustainability’s high complexity. However, It’s umbrella approach is “problematically fragmented”, Hindering and more realistic, whole systems approach. A critical realist (CR) systems approach is exemplified to integrate, bridge and extend the sustainability marketing field. “Achieving a whole systems approach is hindered by ( 1) the use of irreconcilable or opaque conflationary tendencies, ( 2) inconsistent applications of systems thinking, that together produce ( 3) analytical blind spots.”Sustainability marketing has given most of its attention to micro level marketing: that is focusing on things that pertain to individual needs/wants like food selection, fashion consumption, travel choices and more. It is the attempt to change the choice of the individual. This approach, while having made some valuable contribution, is hindered by a lack of systems thinking. Sustainability issues cannot be marketed by approaching them from only micro,meso or macro levels. They need to be integrated into a whole systems approach in order to be the most effective.
Megan Almquist
Gabriel Zwade
Lucas Housman
Mariana Urrea
Nathan Kantor