Document Type
Article
Abstract
Employee perceptions of human resource (HR) practices have become a central focus in strategic human resource management(HRM) research due to their impact on individual and organizational outcomes. Recent studies highlight the importance of un-derstanding how these perceptions are formed, what they encompass, and why they vary across employees. This special issue ofHuman Resource Management aims to advance this evolving area of research by focusing on variability in employee perceptionsof HR practices. We review the current literature on employee perceptions of HR practices, including (1) theoretical and concep-tual clarity of the employee perceptions of HR practices construct, (2) antecedents of these perceptions across multiple levels (i.e.,individual, HR department, (line) management, and organizational levels), (3) stakeholder alignment, and (4) the dynamic natureof perceptions of HR practices. We then consolidate existing research by offering an integrated overview based on extant studies,incorporating the four themes featured in this special issue. To guide future research, we present a comprehensive agenda aimedat fostering a more nuanced understanding of employee perceptions of HR practices, thereby enhancing both theoretical insightsand practical impact in strategic HRM.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Publication Info
Published in Human Resource Management, 2026.
APA Citation
van Beurden, J., Beijer, S., Jiang, K., van de Voorde, K., & Nyberg, A. (2026). Explaining Variability in Employee Perceptions of HR Practices in Strategic HRM Research: An Integrative Review and Future Outlook. Human Resource Management.https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.70066
Rights
© 2026 The Author(s). Human Resource Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.