Sensemaking of Subordinates' Perception Through Supervisor Interactions and Its Role in Informing HRM Practices: A South Asian Perspective.

This article focuses on how subordinate employees' sensemaking—the cognitive process of interpreting workplace changes—shapes human resource management (HRM) practices in South Asian organizations. Through a deductive thematic analysis of 30 studies from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the authors identify five key themes influencing HRM: perceptions of supervisory behavior, work relationship characteristics, South Asian cultural context, HRM opportunities and challenges, and outcomes of subordinate perceptions. The study integrates Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory to explain how the quality of supervisor-subordinate relationships affects employee attitudes and organizational outcomes. It concludes that sensemaking is deeply embedded in South Asia's institutional and cultural fabric, significantly impacting HRM practices and underscoring the need for culturally sensitive leadership and management strategies in the region.