Reconciling the Well-Being Paradox: A Meta-Analysis of the Relationships Between Human Resource Management Practices and Employee Well-Being

This meta-analysis aims to deepen our understanding of the relationships between human resource management practices (HRMPs) and employee well-being (EWB). Given the multidimensional nature of EWB, HRMPs can have diverse impacts, potentially resulting in the “well-being paradox.” However, prior research demonstrated inconsistent conclusions regarding the well-being paradox due to focusing on single dimensions of well-being and synergetic HRM systems. Variations in research designs (samples drawn from various countries, different operationalizations of well-being and HRMPs) challenge the validity of the well-being paradox. To address this issue, we conducted a three-level meta-analysis to explore the relationships between HRMPs and three EWB dimensions (psychological, health and social well-being) based on conservation of resources (COR) theory and the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) model. Based on data from 67 studies (N = 326,219), our findings highlight the beneficial effects of HRMPs on three EWB dimensions. Therefore, we advocate adopting a mutual-gains perspective on the HRM-well-being relationship.