The influence of benevolent human resource management attributions and gratitude on perceived stress

Abstract

Stress causes serious illness and damages employee well-being, but it can be alleviated by Human Resource Management (HRM) practices. To alleviate employee’ stress, this study proposes a new HRM framework from a pluralistic view of employment relations. This new framework has three components. First, employees can perceive that their organization enacts HRM practices from two benevolent intentions: a) to help employees perform better and b) to improve their well-being. Second, these benevolent HRM attributions invoke gratitude among employees. Third, gratitude reduces employees’ perceived stress. Using quantitative research design and multi-stage random sampling, a survey questionnaire was collected from 367 respondents of four mobile telecom companies in Pakistan. Measurement and structural model validity were tested using AMOS 22 software, through conducting Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The measurement model was tested by using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) techniques. Structural model analyzed the relationships between the constructs and revealed that benevolent HRM attributions have a positive impact on gratitude and reduces employees’ perceived stress. Moreover, gratitude mediated the relationship between both benevolent HRM attributions and employees perceived stress. This study makes important contributions towards theoretical, practitioner and policy maker. Theoretically, this study introduces a new HRM framework mediated by gratitude to reduce employee stress levels. For practitioners, this study has shown how HRM practices can engender gratitude, which leads to a reduction in employee stress levels. From a policy making perspective, this study can be referred to address employee stress management legislation at the national levels. This legislation can encourage organizations to constitute stress management policies in their HRM practices.