Business and Applied Management Journal
Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026)

The Dark Side of Green HRM: Multigroup Analysis of Employee Responses to Internal Greenwashing

Riski Eko Ardianto (Universitas Pelita Bangsa)
Retno Purwani Setyaningrum (Universitas Pelita Bangsa)
Ahmad Johan (Universitas Langlang Buana)



Article Info

Publish Date
21 May 2026

Abstract

This study aims to examine how internal greenwashing within Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) affects employee green creativity through the psychological mechanism of green fatigue, while also testing the moderating role of competitive green gamification and group differences based on green value orientation. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Self-Determination Theory, this study conceptualizes perceived greenwashing as an internal organizational stressor that depletes employees’ psychological resources and weakens intrinsic motivation. A quantitative survey was conducted among 556 hotel employees in the Java–Bali region, Indonesia, using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test direct, mediating, moderating, and multigroup effects. The results show that perceived greenwashing increases green fatigue and reduces employee green creativity, both directly and indirectly. Competitive green gamification strengthens the effect of greenwashing on green fatigue. Multigroup analysis further reveals that these effects are stronger among employees with high green value orientation. This study contributes to GHRM literature by shifting the focus from external to internal greenwashing and highlighting its psychological and behavioral consequences.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

bamj

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Economics, Econometrics & Finance Education Environmental Science Social Sciences

Description

Business and Applied Management Journal is Peer-reviewed refereed journal aiming at engaging academicians as well as practitioners. Focus on the areas of economics, finance, banking, capital markets, takaful and law. The aim of the Journal is to foster academic research by publishing original ...