GREEN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (GREEN HRM) AWARENESS AND ADOPTION: A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED ORGANIZATION IN LAGOS STATE – NIGERIA

Abstract

The need to protect the environment and human from Greenhouse gases as a result of climate change, environmental degradation, and rise in ocean level has necessitated green activities. Human resources are the major drivers in ensuring business sensitivity to environmental issues, thus adequate implementation of positive environmental management and business perception will not be possible when organization and workers’ awareness about the environment are not made possible by stakeholders. In view of this, this study used a convenience sampling technique to select some companies across Lagos State, Nigeria to sample their awareness about Green Human Resources Management (GHRM), and the extent of the adoption of green initiatives in these companies. A total of 46 and 55 HR practitioners and employees respectively were selected across these companies in Lagos State to sample their opinion through a semi structured interview on their level of awareness and adoption of GHRM. The findings from the collected data were analysed through descriptive statistics using frequency and percentage. The results indicate that despite the fact that more than half of the human resources practitioners were aware of Green HRM majority of the HR practitioners still used the conventional method of human resource and the rate of adoption is very low among them. Reasons given for the low adoption were as a result of the cost involved in changing from conventional HRM to modern/Green HRM, low patronage for green product due to high rate of poverty in the country,and couple with the low awareness among the consumers about green product. Also, among the employee the awareness is very low and the few that are aware about green initiatives are not often motivated by the working environment and their employers’ contribution to green initiative. The study, therefore recommended that stakeholders and government should assist HR practitioners financially, tax reduction, to ease their transition from traditional HRM to Green HRM especially those whose activities could lead to environmental issues. Also, more training, seminars, and workshop should be organized periodically in order to increase awareness for customers, employees, and HR practitioners. Finally, standard of living of the citizen needs to be improved through some palliative measures also sensitization programmes about green product should be given so that patronage for green products can be encouraged among consumers.