Abstract
Decent work, the promotion of social justice, human dignity, and both, economic and human well-being, is considered a fundamental component of sustainable, ethical, and inclusive economic development. Despite the importance of the decent work objective in developing more ethical and sustainable societies, there is little knowledge about the role of HRM practices in supporting this sustainable agenda within organisations. There is especially limited research into the role of HRM in facilitating decent work in developed economies in occupations that are often characterised by precarious employment conditions. Therefore, this study explores how HRM practices manage decent work in the home-care industry and support the health and well-being of carers. Using qualitative multi-level data, we draw on 38 semi-structured interviews with carers, HR/line managers, and business leaders to elaborate on HRM practices used by home care organisations. The data were analysed using a comparative directed content analysis. Our findings highlight significant issues in the ways HRM practices align to fundamental principles of decent work. Many organisations fail to provide the conditions necessary for the health and well-being of their carers. This is particularly evident in the values and principles of work, working time, remuneration, and personal and professional development. Our research contributes to current debates in HRM literature by highlighting the shortcomings of previous research and elaborating on the importance of HRM to facilitate decent work in the home-care industry. We demonstrate the importance of improving HRM practices to support workers’ health and well-being and ensure decent work for a marginalised workforce.