Line managers and HRM: a relational approach to paradox

The scholarly literature on line manager involvement in HRM increasingly acknowledges competing demands that pervade this work. This chapter introduces a relational approach to paradox that postulates that the way line managers translate competing demands is highly relevant for, and impacts on, other HRM actors' experiences of tensions and abilities to handle them. We draw on suggestions from paradox literature that active engagement with competing demands can promote learning and focus on the role of training and supportive practices in organizations that enable the development of paradox mindsets and practical ways to handle tensions. By taking a relational approach to paradox, we model how individual responses to competing demands enable or hinder beneficial learning dynamics and promote virtuous cycles.