Authenticity of the HR initiatives
In the modern-day context, it is not merely enough to have a workforce. Instead, the management of an organization should go further and ensure that the personnel is sustainable. Consequently, institutions must institute Human Resource (HR) sustainability initiatives. The rationale for this perspective is that the HR profession plays an integral part in the development of an entity’s sustainability practices (Bates 2011). Ybema (2017) asserts that they are necessary because they lead to higher rates of satisfaction among employees and enhanced productivity. In this exercise, evaluation of Caesars Entertainment’s sustainability initiatives concerning their CodeGreen strategy will occur.
Identifying HR Sustainability Initiatives
Two activities, the institutionalization of the CodeGreen program, and enhancing employee engagement, form part of the company’s sustainability initiatives. The two schemes reflect HR sustainability initiatives based on the definitions of various scholars. According to Bates (2011), sustainability practices should meet multiple thresholds. First, they should have a positive contribution to society. Secondly, they should provide a firm with a competitive advantage in terms of its financial health. Additionally, they should also lower the operational costs of an entity while creating a suitable working environment for enhancing the health and safety of its employees.
Rander and Jha (2019) reinforce Bates’ perspective. They assert that sustainable HR practices are those that reduce the harmful effects that a business may have on the environment, employees, and society. Bombiak and Marciniuk-Kluska (2018) provide a new dimension to what constitutes a sustainability initiative. In line with the notion of green human resource management approaches, they hold that such an activity must be pro-environmental. Accordingly, it is essential to evaluate how the two aspects, the institutionalization of the CodeGreen program, and enhancing employee engagement, measure up against the definitions assessed above.
The CodeGreen initiative is beneficial for the environment because it enhances energy and water-use efficiency at the chain’s properties. Such an outcome helps to lower its carbon footprint, a factor that contributes positively to the environment. Therefore, the institutionalization of the activity helps the organization to achieve this eventuality; hence, it fits into the definition of a sustainable HR initiative as highlighted by Bombiak and Marciniuk-Kluska (2018) and Randev and Jha (2019).
Bates (2011) asserts that for an initiative to be sustainable, it must have a positive impact on the community. The institutionalization of CodeGreen is beneficial to society because it is pro-environmental. Koehler et al. (2019) contend that a suitable built and natural environment is an essential component of a healthy community.
Regarding the second initiative, employee engagement, it is also a sustainable HR scheme because it has an impact on the organization’s operational costs and competitive advantage. Horvathova et al. (2019) hold that a high level of employee engagement helps to improve the productivity of an organization. Accordingly, the operational efficiency improves, a factor that lowers the overhead cost per unit. By reducing such expenses, an entity can redirect the savings to other critical business processes like marketing, a situation that helps it to improve its competitive advantage relative to its peers in the industry.
Authenticity of the HR initiatives
The HR initiatives in question should create value for both the organization and society. Essentially, they should not be cosmetic; instead, they should have practical benefits. An assessment of the two activities based on their effectiveness in improving Caesars’ bottom line will occur.
Institutionalizing the CodeGreen initiative creates value for the organization; thus, it is desirable. It is necessary to evaluate its significance within the context of the prevailing societal norms. One of the emerging norms in modern society is environmental consciousness. According to Lee (2011), an increasing number of individuals are becoming aware of the impact that their activities have on the environment. Hence, they have taken steps to reduce their behaviors that may be harmful to the environment. This situation arises because of the realization of the importance of flourishing surroundings to both personal health and economic empowerment. Therefore, Lee (2011) holds that many people are consuming products from organizations that can illustrate their efforts to lower their carbon footprint. The initiative to improve energy and water-use efficiency is beneficial for the company’s green credentials. Consequently, this action contains value from the perspective of it being in line with the populace’s norms and preferences.
The second sustainable HR initiative is employee engagement. This practice is authentic from both human resources and societal perspectives. Vorina et al. (2017) propound that many institutions equate job satisfaction with engagement. Nonetheless, they argue that the former is merely a foundational aspect of HR initiatives. It refers to basic aspects like adequate remuneration, suitable working conditions, and job security. While these elements are essential, they are not the ultimate in an employee’s hierarchy of needs. Horvathova et al. (2019) expound on the issue further by holding that while job satisfaction is paramount, engagement is a broader concept that also incorporates challenging work, recognition, and responsibility. An employee that finds the latter aspects in their job is likely to invest more of their time and effort when compared to one that lacks them. Accordingly, Vorina et al. (2017) hold that this situation leads to an improvement in productivity, an occurrence that is desirable for an organization. Moreover, it prevents situations where personnel are just neutral about corporate ventures.
Secondly, high levels of employee engagement lead to the realization of societal norms like dignity. The bottom-up approach employed by the company in its environmental sustainability program ensures that the staff is proud of their work, especially given that it provides employees a platform to incubate green ideas. This exercise illustrates that the company cares for the welfare of its personnel; hence, it is a desirable strategy. This factor showcases its authenticity. It also denotes responsibility, another vice considered valuable in society.
The Initiatives’ Contribution to Enhancing Positive Social and Human Outcomes
The two initiatives contribute positively to enhance social and human outcomes of the employees. The institutionalization of CodeGreen offers many staff members a chance to participate in management decisions and the overall decision-making processes of the organization. This element is made possible by the bottom-up approach used in deciding initiatives to improve sustainability, as well as the independence afforded to the employees in making such decisions. This strategy helps to improve Caesar’s stock of human capital. This outcome is beneficial for the personnel’s professional growth and development. Additionally, it also contributes to the happiness of the employees because, for many, the activity enables them to actualize their dreams and ideas since it is consistent with the notion of employee engagement. A workforce acts as a microcosm of society (Tran 2017). Thus, a happy one implies a happy community — a positive social outcome.
How the Outcomes Might Differ with Similar Initiatives in a Different Context
It is essential to note that sustainability practices are contextual. A study done by de Lange et al. (2012) suggests that sustainability initiatives vary depending on factors like the sector, size of an entity, and government regulations. Further, the authors hold that even within a specific organization, what constitutes sustainability changes over time.
The initiatives of Caesar Entertainment may not be effective for a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME), especially as it concerns the institutionalization of environmental initiatives. In a large organization, such a step is necessary because it creates a systematic approach to handling the relevant issues — as of 2010, the company had 70000 employees. Abdelnour et al. (2017) apply institutional theory framework to illustrate that in a big enterprise, institutionalization helps in the proper allocation of resources and development of policies to guide processes. It also serves as a repository of trust.
Nonetheless, in an SME, such an act may harm an entity’s bottom line. It increases the layers of management; thus, introducing red tape in the administration processes. This situation slows down the decision-making process, a factor that reduces the productivity of the business.
Conclusion
Sustainability practices are crucial for any business operation. The HR function plays an integral role in the achievement of sustainability. For the case of Caesar Entertainment, its HR management achieved this objective by institutionalizing CodeGreen and taking measures to enhance employee engagement in the change process. Both schemes provide value to internal and external stakeholders of the organization — employees benefit from the creation of a conducive working environment and conditions, the company benefits from enhanced productivity, while the society gains from reduced carbon footprints from the firm. Nevertheless, it is crucial to ensure that each of the practices is tailored to suit the unique needs of an organization since the outcomes may vary depending on contextual factors like sector and size of business.
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