Employee Well-being and Occupational Health: An HRM Perspective in Life Science Research and Laboratory Settings

Abstract

Employee well-being and occupational health have been identified as important areas in the life science domain, as well as in the laboratory setting, where workers are exposed to complex physical, chemical, and psychosocial hazards, as well as high performance demands. Human Resource Management (HRM) can have a strategic impact on the creation of a healthy and safe working environment through its integration of health-oriented policies, safety culture, and employee-centred strategies. The present conceptual study, based on the analysis of the relevant literature published between 2015 and 2024, aims to investigate the role of HRM in the promotion of employee well-being and occupational health in the laboratory setting, through the development of an integrated conceptual framework. According to the study findings, the HRM interventions with health-oriented leadership and safety culture can play a significant role in the promotion of employee well-being, reducing burnout, and safety compliance. The study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the gaps in the existing literature, such as the lack of HRM models in the laboratory environment and sector-specific HRM models and the inclusion of psychosocial and physical health dimensions. This study contributes to the existing HRM and occupational health literature with a holistic conceptual model of HRM in life science organizations.

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