Conclusion
We have argued that researchers should begin to consider connections between HR systems, relational climates, and helping behavior, with the idea that the ability to purposely harness helping will become more critical in future organizations. It is important that organizations understand the processes that ultimately lead employees to exchange help over time. Too many organizations deal with helping on an as needed basis, without recognizing the full implications of continuities underlying helping exchanges in the workplace (cf. Flynn, 2006). Whereas in the short-term helping behaviors have consequences for interpersonal relationships, in the long run they might well have consequences for the organization as a whole. Research has shown that helping behavior is associated with an array of positive interpersonal outcomes, but broader organizational implications such as greater flexibility or coordination have not as yet been documented. Hopefully, the framework presented here will stimulate future research connecting strategic HR and helping behavior, and promote greater understanding of the challenge of cultivating viable relational climates in organizations.