The paradox of employee psychological well-being practices: an integrative literature review and new directions for research

Loon, Mark, Otaye-Ebede, Lilian ORCID: 0000-0001-5158-290X and Stewart, Jim (2018) The paradox of employee psychological well-being practices: an integrative literature review and new directions for research International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30 (1). pp. 156-187. ISSN 0958-5192, 1466-4399

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Abstract

It is well established that many HR practices aimed at increasing employees’ psychological wellbeing (PWB) and organisational performance conflict and even contradict one another. We address this long-standing issue by undertaking an innovative integrative literature review using the paradox metatheory as a lens. Unlike the contingency approach, a paradox perspective deems real-world tensions as normal, which can also be harnessed, and benefit employees and the organisation. We make three contributions; firstly, we identify contradictory employee PWB and organisational performance HR practices; secondly, we offer a solution in addressing the inherent tension between PWB and organisational performance by developing a new sensemaking conceptual framework; and thirdly, we offer a more nuanced perspective of prevailing arguments by distinguishing endogenous factors that organisations can influence to enhance the synergies between employee PWB and organisational performance HR practices. The intended impact of this paper is to instigate a paradigm shift and shape a new trajectory of thinking about how employee PWB and organisational performance practices can exist side-by-side.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Psychological wellbeing, performance, HR practices, paradox, metatheory
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2019 09:55
Last Modified:	01 Mar 2026 02:19
DOI:	10.1080/09585192.2018.1479877
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3053548
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