Revamping Social Sustainable Strategies for the Future of Human Resources

Abstract

Purpose –Social sustainability & awareness of employees' happiness, experience, & needs have been gaining significant attention within organizations at the global level for implementing sustainable practices. With the sudden surge in resignations, strikes, job stress, and depression in the Indian manufacturing industry, organizations and governments have started focusing on socially sustainable issues. The industry has tried to adopt social practices to limit the adverse effects, still researchers have not yet found how socially sustainable strategies affect employees, leading to happiness, well-being, and satisfaction. Failure to formulate strategies determining people sustainability w.r.t. employees' experience is a primary reason for this research. This research aims to fill that void by identifying and ranking strategies for achieving sustainable development from a holistic angle. Design/methodology/approach – The triangulation method is used in this study as a validation approach, which gives credence to the findings. This study has employed a hybrid system that merges the Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM), & the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to ensure greater precision and reliability in identifying and prioritizing critical social sustainability strategies. Literature review and the Fuzzy Delphi approach are used to develop a preliminary list of criteria, which is then refined using the FAHP method to establish their relative relevance. Findings – A total of 8 strategies are identified in which "improving employee well-being" is most important toward people sustainability, followed by "improving diversity, equity and inclusion" and "equipping leaders with empathy." This study provides managerial implications that may assist in incorporating employee happiness-based practices into organizational practices. Organizations can use the identified factors in strategic planning to create a stable company foundation that can withstand the challenges of a dynamic market. Research limitations/implications – This study includes a limited number of experts from the manufacturing industry, which may be increased in future studies for different views. Originality/value: This study aids organizations and researchers in capturing the knowledge structure of social sustainability research and creating a reference for upcoming prospects.