In today’s demanding work environments, employees’ subjective well-being is declining, contributing to an elevated employee turnover rate. Leveraging ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO)-enhancing HR practices has emerged as a promising approach to address this issue and improve subjective well-being. While existing research extensively examines the relationship between HR practices and subjective well-being, a comprehensive conceptual model detailing the nuanced interplay between AMO bundles and subjective well-being remains underexplored.
Objective
The study aims to identify and classify various categories of HR practices within the AMO framework and develop an integrative conceptual model linking AMO practices to subjective well-being.
Methods
A systematic review of 43 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted using an inductive content analysis approach. The articles were selected in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the PRISMA framework.
Results
The findings identify HR practices categorized within the AMO framework, comprising two ability-enhancing practices (conducting training and development programs, recruitment practices), four motivation-enhancing practices (psychological support, incentives and rewards, building meaningful relationships, and flexible working hours), and three opportunity-enhancing practices (participation and involvement, job enrichment, and career advancement opportunities). These practices were shown to enhance employees’ subjective well-being significantly.
Conclusion
The study offers actionable insights for managers, emphasizing the importance of implementing AMO-driven HR practices as cohesive bundles rather than in isolation to maximize their impact on subjective well-being. Notably, employees demonstrated a strong preference for motivation-enhancing practices, followed by opportunity- and ability-enhancing practices. Additionally, the study suggests that managers integrate artificial intelligence (AI) within HRM systems to further improve employees’ subjective well-being substantially. This study contributes to the strategic HRM and well-being literature by developing a comprehensive conceptual model that elucidates the intricate relationships between AMO bundles and subjective well-being.
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