But the global pandemic aside, Sanders says climate-related disruptions have the most significant potential to cause harm and thus pose the biggest threat to businesses and their workers. So what is an environmental disaster? The study highlights three main types of environmental disruptions:
- Ecological (weather-related catastrophes like fires and floods)
- Economic (including rising inflation and other cost of living pressures)
- Political (take the war in Ukraine)
Sustainable HR practices intend to make employees more aware and motivated to work on the financial (profit), social (social responsibility), and ecological (environmental) goals of an organization, which can be related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), explains Sanders. The study concludes by recommending businesses adopt sustainable HR practices to manage better responses to environmental disasters, particularly climate change-related disasters. So what would this look like in practice?Â
Sustainable HR practices help workers cope with environmental disasters
Sustainable HR practices include training to make employees more aware of the importance of climate change or hiring employees who show an interest in and awareness of social and ecological sustainability. For example, in recognition of its environmental impact, Royal Dutch Shell recently adopted a sustainable HR practice: linking directors’ KPIs (and pay) with the group’s climate performance and severing the link between bonuses and liquefied natural gas production volumes.
Aside from the physical impacts, like the loss of a worker’s home during floods, environmental disasters can also threaten employees’ wellbeing because they deplete emotional resources, explains Sanders. This is a serious challenge for HR management, as affected workers will show low job satisfaction, low job performance, and high turnover intentions. Fortunately, businesses have the means to mitigate this problem, she says. So, while businesses can’t predict disaster events, they can proactively ensure employees feel supported.Â