The Framework of Human Resource Slack

Human resources slack refers to more human resources than the organization needs, which can have different and even contradictory effects on organizational performance. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effect of this new concept on organizational performance. The methodology adopted was qualitative and fundamental, with a systematic review in the case of purpose. Therefore, the systematic search to identify and extract articles was limited to two databases, Elsevier (Scopus) and the Scientific Network Information Sciences Institute (Thomson Reuters). The Critical Appraisal Skills Programs standard checklist was used to assess the study validity, and a Cohen kappa index equal to 0.731 was applied in SPSS software to assess the study reliability, which was confirmed. Having investigated the existing articles, a model was suggested to clearly state the effect of human resources slack on the organization’s performance. Referring to the articles, the model introduces the different types of human resources slack, which could range from value-oriented to knowledge-oriented to surplus-oriented to accumulation-oriented (relative or absolute), and could also be knowledge-based or non-knowledge-based and short-term or long-term period. The model presented in the research can be the basis for future research that aims to optimize human resource slack in human resource management measures such as training, rewarding and compensating, evaluation and so on. In the proposed pattern, value-oriented and knowledge-based human resources slack with positive effects were evaluated. Surplus-oriented human resources slack and, to some extent, accumulation-oriented human resources slack with negative effects were also evaluated. It was concluded that having too many of each type can prove detrimental to an organization’s performance.