Social responsibility-based human resources management reduces information sabotage

Corporate social responsibility is now regarded not only as an image or sustainability activity aimed at external stakeholders of organizations but also as an important management approach that shapes employee behavior. Especially in the service sector, employees' information sharing, sense of belonging to the organization, and commitment to ethical values are among the key elements of organizational success.

This study examined the impact of social responsibility-based human resources management practices on employees' “information sabotage” behaviors. Information sabotage is defined as employees intentionally providing incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information to their colleagues or managers, or consciously withholding necessary information. Such behaviors can negatively affect service quality, trust among employees, and organizational performance, especially in sectors based on information sharing and teamwork.

The research analyzed 390 valid survey data obtained from employees of five-star hotels in Turkey and Kyrgyzstan. The findings revealed that social responsibility-focused human resources management practices reduced information sabotage and strengthened employees' sense of belonging to the workplace. The study also determined that workplace belonging played an important mediating role in the relationship between social responsibility-based human resources management and information sabotage. 

According to the results obtained, employees feeling like a valuable part of the organization emerges as an important psychological mechanism that reduces negative information behaviors. In other words, when employees feel accepted within the organization, supported, and encounter fair practices, they tend to avoid behaviors such as withholding information or misguiding that could harm their colleagues.

Another notable result of the study was that corporate ethical values played a reinforcing role in this process. In organizations where ethical values are strongly embraced, the impact of social responsibility-based human resources practices on employee belonging became more pronounced. This finding suggests that human resources practices unsupported by an ethical culture may remain limited; conversely, a management approach integrated with ethical values can shape employee behaviors more strongly.

The research presents significant results, especially for the tourism and hospitality sector. In this sector, which is based on intense human interaction, teamwork, and information sharing, it is considered that fair, ethical, and socially responsible human resources policies can support not only employee satisfaction but also the corporate trust environment and service quality.

The study has been published in the journal Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, which is in the top 5% of its field according to WOS.

Access link to the study:
https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.70597