A recently published Human Resource Management (HRM) special issue editorial article on human resource management in social care (long-term care) explains the paucity of research on HRM in the social care sector. Based on the review of the articles comprising the special issue and the literature from HRM and related fields, the article identifies forces that drive convergence around hard HR policies and practices in this sector. It challenges the HRM field to broaden its conception of outcomes beyond financial performance toward community wellbeing and the common good, and also highlights the unique nature of the home as a workplace, with implications for privacy, emotional labour, and burnout. The editorial further emphasises the importance of institutional context, where social care is deeply embedded in a sector system that shapes HR practices in ways often overlooked by strategic HRM, as well as the role of the state - frequently understated in HRM research. By framing the social care workforce challenges around organisational, systemic, and stakeholder-centred themes, the article presents a multi-level analytical framework for the study of HRM issues in social care. This special issue editorial is an invitation to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to rethink how we value and support the people who care for society's most vulnerable.
To find out more:
- Read the full article here
- Read the press release here
- Watch the interview with the author here
------------------------------
Jelena Petrovic
Knowledge Transfer Editor, Human Resource Management
Associate Professor, University of Southampton, UK
------------------------------