Definition and main principles of Human Sustainability (HS) - The principle of fair selection, promotion and evaluation

“Human sustainability is when organisations respect human beings as free, rational and responsible, include them in policy formulation and decision-making and encourage them to build mutual respect with all persons within and beyond their organisations” (Meleti, 2020, p. 36).  The main principles of human sustainability are the following: information, participation in decision-making, meaningful work, fair promotion, selection and evaluation, and respect (Meleti, 2020). This blog aims to briefly explain the principle of fair selection, promotion and evaluation in the organization (Meleti, 2020).

The type of selection, promotion and evaluation of employees in an organization indicates the existence of human sustainability. In a respectful organizational environment employees are selected, promoted and evaluated in a fair manner (Meleti, 2020). "Selectivity in recruiting" indicates the significance of selecting the appropriate people through a correct and transparent process (Pfeffer, 1994). Promotion in general, and "promotion from within" in particular, is significant because it gives employees a feeling of equity at work, giving them priority over outsiders and rewards their extraordinary effort in doing an excellent job (Pfeffer, 1994). Research shows promotion is getting more difficult in various sectors. For example, research in higher education shows that most of academics viewed that they had higher demands imposed on them to expand their research activity and to publish. More than half involved in teaching perceived their classes to be increasing in number (Kinman & Jones, 2004). Equity and justice are fundamental when evaluation procedures take place in an organization. Assessments of workers in the job ought always to be implemented in such a manner that the humanity of all persons involved is judged (Bowie, 2017).

My analysis of the interview material indicates that selection, promotion and evaluation of employees is limited in the University. The analysis of the interview material shows that the selection process of academics is not always fair because it does not always examines equally all criteria, which are officially stated at the University's website (i.e., grant capture, publishing, research, teaching). Thus, most academics view the hiring process to have limited fairness because some criteria are consistently priotised over others (i.e., grant capture and publishing over teaching). Hence, although the selection could satisfy the University's goals and its immediate financial needs it could severely damage its reputation and viability in the long run (Meleti, 2020). Equally the selection of administrators has limited fairness because it is based on "required" and "desired" criteria and although the required (i.e., knowledge of Excel) do not necessitate a university education the desired criteria do ask for a university degree. However, most participants administrators have at least one university degree which means that the selection process is more oriented towards the desired criteria and not the required ones. My analysis suggests a limited fairness in the promotion process for similar reasons. For example, not all criteria are equally considered for promotion (i.e., grant capture is more important than teaching for academics). Administrators have to apply for another job to get promoted in the University, which is also unfair because they cannot always find another opening that is worth applying for promotion (Meleti, 2020). Finally, most academics and administrators perceive the evaluation process to be unfair, limited, and ineffective. Similarly to the selection and promotion some factors for academics are also considered more than others (i.e., grant capture over teaching) (Meleti, 2020).

In conclusion, in this blog I briefly explained the principle of fairness of selection, promotion and evaluation of employees in an organization. Thus, if selection, promotion and evaluation of employees in the organization are fair, it is more likely to enhance human sustainability in the organization and if selection, promotion and evaluation of employees are not fair, it is more likely to discourage human sustainability in the organization (Meleti, 2020).

Key take away for managers: Managers who want to enhance human sustainability in their organizations should encourage the fairness of selection, promotion and evaluation of employees. For example, they should equally consider all criteria that are officially stated regarding the selection, the promotion and the evaluation of their employees without unofficially prioritising one over the other. These criteria will change based on the industry and the sector but the principle of fairness remains the same. An organizational environment with a fair selection, promotion and evaluation of employees is more likely to enhance human sustainability, whereas an organizational environment with an unfair selection, promotion and evaluation of employees is more likely to discourage human sustainability in the organization.