A Systematic Review of Human Resource Management Strategies for Enhancing Employee Morale: A Case Study of the Wasit Provincial Government

Hayder Ali Obaid  Al-Rakabi; Hassan DanaeeFard; Mahdi  Mortazavi

Authors

Hayder Ali Obaid Al-Rakabi PhD student, Department of Public Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3578-1516
Hassan DanaeeFard Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1805-7323
Mahdi Mortazavi Associate Professor, Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Management, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0156-8196-7200

Keywords:

systematic review, human resource management strategies, employee morale, Wasit Provincial Government, thematic analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically review the published literature in order to identify, analyze, and classify human resource management strategies that are effective in enhancing employee morale in the Wasit Provincial Government of Iraq. To achieve this objective, a systematic review method and an extensive search of the reputable Scopus and Web of Science scientific databases were employed. The PRISMA guidelines were used to improve the accuracy and transparency of reporting. The study population comprised all sources related to human resource management and employee morale. The search and screening process was conducted in several stages, ultimately resulting in the inclusion of 19 articles through the primary pathway and six articles through the supplementary pathway involving Google Scholar and reputable websites. The content analysis identified six principal strategic categories: managerial and leadership strategies, human resource development strategies, organizational cultural and social strategies, employee welfare and quality-of-work-life strategies, structural and organizational strategies, and technological and innovative strategies. Employee morale was analyzed as a multidimensional construct comprising motivation, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, work engagement, and psychological well-being. The descriptive findings indicated that the largest number of articles was published between 2016 and 2018 and that quantitative approaches predominated in the reviewed studies. The principal contribution of this study is the identification and presentation of an integrated framework of effective human resource management strategies for enhancing employee morale, with particular emphasis on the central role of managerial and leadership strategies as the most influential category. The findings may assist human resource managers and organizational policymakers in the Wasit Provincial Government in developing and implementing measures that address employees’ needs and expectations by providing a deeper understanding of the factors affecting employee morale, thereby improving both morale and organizational productivity.

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