Putting sustainable human resource management and workplace eudaimonic well-being into cross-cultural context

Abstract

This study examines how sustainable human resource management (HRM) impacts employee work engagement and eudaimonic well-being across cultural contexts that differ on individualism-collectivism dimension. Theoretically, the study draws from Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2017) and the model of culture fit (Aycan et al., 1999). Using data from 14,502 employees nested in 54 countries working in a variety of positions across different sectors, we found support for our hypothesized model—that is, sustainable HRM was positively related to employee eudaimonic well-being via enhanced work engagement. The study found that one moderating effect—the relationship between work engagement and eudaimonic well-being—was stronger in countries that are more individualistic rather than collectivistic. The findings provide support for the universality of the SDT-based approach to understanding employee experiences based on sustainable HRM and cultural variations that inform work-related eudaimonic well-being. Our study advances existing cross-cultural research on sustainable HRM and employee well-being. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.