ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Purpose – This study investigates how Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) and employee engagement jointly shape employees’ intention to leave in four- and five-star hotels in Aqaba, Jordan. Building on Social Exchange Theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD R) model, the research examines the roles of green transformational leadership, innovation orientation, and job satisfaction in explaining these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative will be do, cross-sectional survey is conducted with approximately 300 employees from front-line, back-of-house, and supervisory positions in high end hotels in Aqaba. Using established multi-item scales, the study measures GHRM, employee engagement, green transformational leadership, innovation orientation, job satisfaction, and intention to leave on a five point Likert scale. Data will analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS SEM), allowing the assessment of direct, mediating, and moderating effects within the proposed framework. Findings – The results show that GHRM positively influences both employee engagement and green transformational leadership. In turn, green transformational leadership and engagement significantly enhance job satisfaction, which is negatively associated with employees’ intention to leave. The analysis also reveals that green transformational leadership and job satisfaction mediate the effects of GHRM and engagement on turnover intentions. Furthermore, innovation orientation positively moderates the relationship between green transformational leadership and job satisfaction, such that the beneficial effect of leadership is stronger in highly innovative hotel environments. Originality/value – This study extends Social Exchange Theory and JD R by integrating sustainability-oriented HR practices, leadership, and innovation climate into a unified model of employee retention in a developing-country hospitality context. It provides empirical evidence that green HR bundles and green transformational leadership are critical levers for fostering engagement, strengthening job satisfaction, and reducing intention to leave among hotel employees. The findings offer actionable guidance for hotel managers seeking to align environmental responsibility with human-capital strategies to build sustainable and stable workforces.
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