Definition and main principles of Human Sustainability (HS) - The principle of participation in decision-making

“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 participation in decision-making in the organization (Meleti, 2020).

The type of participation in decision-making or even its existence in an organization indicates the existence of human sustainability. In a respectful organizational environment employees "co-create" and "follow" the organizational rules regarding main issues that are relevant to all of them (i.e., promotion, salaries). Thus, employees are people who are both "subjects" and "sovereigns" simultaneously (Bowie, 2017). Organizations, in this respect, are "moral communities" because they are comprised of persons who are moral beings with dignity (Bowie, 1999).

Senior managers in organizations can build "empowered" workplaces to engage employees by showing "participative" decision-making (Bergstedt & Wei, 2020). This doe not mean that everybody decides on everything but that the ideas of representatives of all workgroups involved could be actively considered regarding both general issues (i.e., salaries, pensions) and more specific aspects related to the particular workgroups (i.e., job descriptions for frontline staff). Research shows that asking for the employees' suggestions is fundamental for the success of organizations (Whitney, 1994) and "both the employees and the business will be richer for the effort" (Whitney, 1994, p. 65). Unfortunately, research also shows that frequently senior managers underestimate the fact that the "most potent impact" could emerge from staff with lower grades and ranks in the hierarchical structure of an organization (i.e., frontline staff) (Heymann with Barrera, 2010). International research shows that participative decision-making is more successful than a single decision-making (Ouchi, 1981) and there are various ways organizations involve their employees and other stakeholders in the decision-making process (Mele, 2012). For example, "open-book management" which gives deicision-making power to employees and all significant information (i.e., financial) about the company (Bowie, 2005). The highest and most degree of participation in decision-making refers to "co-decisions" (i.e., managers and workers decide together) (Mele, 2012). "Co-decisions" reflect the type of decision-making based on which human sustainability (HS) is defined in this blog based on my research and organizations which are interested on HS could aim at that type of decision-making (Meleti, 2020).

My analysis of the interview material indicates that participative decision-making is limited in the University. The majority of academics and administrators say that they do not participate in the decision-making of crucial issues in the University. For example, most administrators say that they have never been invited to participate at meetings where decisions are taken, unless they have an administrative role to implement (i.e., taking minutes). Consequently, they feel they do not have a voice in the University and the same happens with academics. For example, most academics do not participate in meetings because they know that they do not have a voice and their views are not considered even when they express them. Therefore, the Senior Management Group and in some respect, the Human Resources are the only decision-makers now and especially since restructuring a few years ago (Meleti, 2020). Research also suggests similar findings regarding organizations with a high bureaucracy where participation in decision-making is limited (Ginsberg, 2011) further suggesting that 65% of UK senior academics feel that they are without influence (Aarrevaara & Dobson, 2013).

In conclusion, in this blog I briefly explained the principle of human sustainability named "participation in decision-making." Thus, if there is a good participation of all workgroups in decision-making in the organization it is more likely to enhance human sustainability in the organization and if there is limited participation of all workgroups in decision-making 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 participative decision-making regarding various important issues of their organization (i.e., promotion, evaluation, pensions, investment plans) with representatives of all workgroups. An organizational environment with a good participative decision-making is more likely to enhance human sustainability, whereas an organizational environment with a limited or non-existent participative decision-making is more likely to discourage human sustainability in the organization.