Unlocking hotel employees’ green advocacy: an environmental love–based framework for understanding green human resource management practices

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between green human resource management practices (GHRMPs) and employee green advocacy in hospitality settings, mediated by three components of environmental love (i.e. environmental intimacy, passion, and commitment). Design/methodology/approach Drawing on Sternberg’s triangular theory of love and cognitive consistency theory, this study surveyed 292 hotel employees in China. Data analysis was conducted applying partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings This study reveals that GHRMPs fail to directly influence employee green advocacy but rather indirectly operate through the development of environmental love. GHRMPs are found to positively evoke employees’ environmental intimacy, passion, and commitment, which subsequently promotes their green advocacy. Our study reveals the mediating roles of environmental love components in the relationship between GHRMPs and green advocacy, with environmental passion showing the strongest effect on this linkage. Practical implications Hotel managers should focus on developing employees’ psychological connections with environmental practices rather than expecting immediate behavioral changes from green human resource initiatives. The findings suggest that organizations should prioritize fostering the environmental love–based relationship through environmental recognition and engaging activities. Originality/value This research represents one of the pioneering empirical attempts that integrates Sternberg’s triangular theory of love with environmental practices, introducing a novel theoretical framework of environmental love for understanding the employee–environment relationship in the hospitality context.