Previous research on call centers has demonstrated that human resource (HR) practices can be related to employee stress; however, these studies did not examine the linking mechanisms underlying these associations. Using the job demands-control (JD-C) model as a theoretical framework, we examine perceived job demands (namely, emotional dissonance and quantitative demands) and autonomy as potential mediators in the relationship between HR systems and burnout (exhaustion and cynicism). We distinguish between HR control systems, which include performance monitoring practices, and HR involvement systems, which include training, participation, and performance-related pay. This study samples 811 employees working in 11 call centers. Our fi ndings support the idea that HR systems can help reduce burnout in call centers by verifying that HR control systems associated with more emotional dissonance and less autonomy increase burnout. On the other hand, an HR involvement system decreases workers' burnout because it alleviates the job demands of emotional dissonance and quantitative demands. This study fi lls a gap in the literature between HR systems and burnout by demonstrating the role job demands and autonomy play in explaining how HR systems improve or decrease workers' exhaustion and cynicism.

The positive impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices has been recognized over the past years. Recently, research has looked into the impact of CSR practices on employee behavior demonstrating positive results. Drawing from a sample of 190 supervisor-subordinate dyads, we studied the relationship between perceived CSR practices (external and internal) and employee performance (supervisor-rated) and two mechanisms that explain this relationship. Specifically, we studied if this relationship was mediated by employees' job satisfaction and affective commitment. Results indicate that there is a direct link between perceptions of external CSR and performance and that job satisfaction partially mediates this relationship.Also, perceptions of internal CSR are related to higher performance via job satisfaction, supporting full mediation. On the other hand, although both internal and external CSR were related to affective commitment, affective commitment did not act as a mediator for the CSR-performance relationship. Implications for practice and limitations of this study conclude the article.

Purpose Talent management is a twenty-first-century concern. Attracting talented individuals to organizations is an important source for firm competitive advantage. Building on signaling theory, this paper proposes that corporate social responsibility (CSR) can be an important tool for talent recruitment. Design/methodology/approach Across two studies, this paper found support for this hypothesized relationship. In Study 1, a job advertisement was manipulated to include information about CSR and tested it in two groups of 120 master’s degree students who would be in the job market within the year. It was found that CSR was an important factor that increased organizational attractiveness. In Study 2, with 532 external talented stakeholders of 16 organizations, our findings were replicated and advanced by testing whether perceptions of CSR practices (internal and external) influenced perceptions of organizational attractiveness and if this relationship was mediated by organizational reputation. Findings This study found that perceptions of internal CSR practices were directly related to both organizational attractiveness and firm reputation. However, perceptions of external CSR practices were related only to organizational attractiveness through organizational reputation. Research limitations/implications The article’s one of the main limitations has to do with generalizability of the results and the potential common method variance bias. Practical implications The findings demonstrate that CSR can play an effective role in attracting potential employees, through enhancement of organizational reputation and organizational attractiveness. If organizations are willing to implement practices that protect and develop their employees, along with practices that improve the quality of the natural environment and the well-being of the society, they can become an employer-of-choice. Originality/value This study expands on previous studies by including an experimental design, including two types of CSR practices and a mediating variable in this field study.

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