Objectives: Organizations are facing the problem of finding a skilled workforce due to the diversity of operations and emerging technologies in the healthcare sector. This has led to the need to improve sustainable employability practices for healthcare workers during their entire professional careers. The main issue is whether existing human resource management (HRM) practices contribute to the employability of healthcare workers. This study aims to investigate the extent to which the implementation and use of HRM practices can increase employees’ welfare, motivation, and employability.

Methods: A descriptive analytical research approach was adopted to examine the impact of HRM practices on the sustainable employability. A total of 279 healthcare providers (HCPs) in Saudi Arabia participated in this study by completing the survey.

Findings: The results revealed a diversity of HRM practices were implemented and used to improve the motivation, health-promoting culture, and employability of healthcare workers. The number of HRM practices and healthcare workers’ use and involvement in the design and implementation of HRM policies were the predictors of the perceived utility of these practices in terms of increasing motivation, welfare, and employability of the workers. The use and implementation of HRM policies also increased the satisfaction of healthcare workers with their employability and organizational performance. The implications for HCPs in Saudi Arabia to improve sustainable employability practices among healthcare workers are provided.

Novelty: We highlight the critical role of participation and engagement of employees with the design and implementation of HRM practices for enhancing the impact of HRM practices on the organizational objectives of employees’ well-being, motivation and job satisfaction which subsequently are instrumental for sustainable employability in Saudi healthcare sector. Therefore, this study suggests to the policy-makers and practitioners in the government and HCPs for increasing the perceived utility of HRM practices through high level engagement of staff with HRM practices at all organizational levels in order for meeting the target of sustainable employability within Saudi Vision 2030.

Keywords HRM practices; Healthcare; Employability; Sustainable, health-promoting culture, healthcare providers, healthcare workers