Addressing Ultra-Low Fertility and Workforce Shrinkage: A Human-Centered HRM Response to the Demographic Crisis

Éditeurs invités

• Ingyu Oh, Kansai Gaidai University
• Jie Wu, University of Aberdeen
• Ho Kwong Kwan, China Europe International Business School
• Hyun Jeong Kim, Inha University

Synthèse

Ultra-low fertility, defined as a total fertility rate of 1.3 or lower, is becoming a critical global challenge affecting human resource management across diverse regions including East Asia, Southern and Eastern Europe, and increasingly North America and Oceania. This demographic crisis is transforming HRM into a strategic imperative as organizations face risks of workforce shrinkage, declining productivity, and increased costs for talent acquisition and retention. The crisis requires rethinking foundational HRM frameworks and developing innovative strategies to build sustainable and resilient workforces.

This special issue seeks research that examines how organizations are responding to demographic scarcity through human-centered HRM innovations. It invites scholars to contribute work extending core theories such as the Resource-Based View, Institutional Theory, and Human Capital Theory to address labor market challenges, while exploring practical strategies including expanded parental leave, work-life balance initiatives, AI-enabled workforce planning, and inclusive hiring practices that integrate women, older workers, and immigrants.

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Thèmes proposés

• Work-life balance challenges and family-friendly HRM policies
• Gender inequality and its impact on fertility decisions
• Cultural expectations and traditional gender roles influencing fertility rates
• Flexible work policies including remote work and parental leave
• Upskilling and reskilling programs addressing workforce shrinkage
• Inclusive benefits such as childcare and fertility treatment support
• Diversity and inclusion strategies utilizing underutilized labor pools
• Innovative recruitment strategies and international talent acquisition
• Human-centered AI solutions for workforce management
• AI-assisted work-life balance and personalized employee support
• AI-facilitated servant leadership and psychological safety
• AI-driven work redesign for dual-earner couples
• Digital twin modeling for career and family pathway optimization
• Rethinking Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities theory for demographic scarcity
• Scarcity-Based View of HRM and demographic agility
• Human capital preservation and the demographic premium
• Neo-Institutional Theory perspectives on fertility-HRM nexus
• Institutional fertility regimes and global HR best practices adaptation
• Cultural Paradox Theory and contradictions between family values and fertility rates
• Multi-level and comparative cross-national HRM research