How employees’ experience of tensions affects the relationship between digital and sustainable human resource management

Abstract

Digital technologies are increasingly adopted within organizations and perceived as a crucial tool to address sustainability challenges. However, owing to their unique properties, their impact may be ambiguous and, in some cases, negative. Given that the human resource management (HRM) function is considered to play a crucial role in organizations’ digitalization and sustainability strategies, the study aims to investigate the relationship between digital HRM and sustainable HRM, and how the tensions experienced by employees affect this relationship. Potential participants were recruited in Vietnam from January to March 2025, using both online and offline surveys. Data from the 162 valid survey questionnaires was analyzed by partial least squares structural equation modelling. The study results indicate a direct positive correlation between digital HRM and sustainable HRM, with experienced tensions partially mediating this relationship. Although digital HRM may increase tensions experienced by employees, such tensions may, in turn, foster HRM sustainability. The study’s findings suggest that managers should acknowledge the paradoxical nature of digital HRM and avoid overemphasizing its benefits in both communication and implementation. Moreover, given the paradoxical nature of these tensions, they should develop a holistic approach to cultivating paradoxical thinking within their organizations, enabling organizational members to accept and effectively manage the dual effects of HRM digitalization, thereby ensuring successful and sustainable digital transformation.