Hope is not the last thing that dies: In hard economic situations, self-preservation becomes a priority over social responsibility

Economic sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly intensified perceptions of financial threat and economic hardship among employees, particularly those reliant on fixed incomes. These external pressures not only shape employees' behaviors in the workplace but also influence their broader societal engagement, often with implications for social and environmental responsibility. In the context of Iran—an economically constrained upper-middle-income country grappling with prolonged sanctions and systemic hardships—this study examines the barriers to employees' sustainability-oriented behaviors (environmental actions in the workplace) and societal behaviors (prosocial actions outside of work), both of which constitute socially responsible behaviors. Using a four-wave survey conducted over one year with 276 employees working in SMEs, we draw on Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory to reveal how sustained financial threats erode hope for the future, ultimately leading to decreased participation in both socially and environmentally responsible behaviors. This research contributes to the broader understanding of how economic hardship can undermine efforts toward sustainability and social responsibility, offering insights relevant to policymakers and organizations seeking to foster these behaviors in challenging times. Our findings serve as a stark reminder of why sustainability-oriented programs often fail, particularly in peripheral regions facing extreme economic hardship. In wealthy nations, calls for sustainability and social responsibility may seem pressing, but in many parts of the world, the immediate concern is survival. For those struggling to meet basic needs, issues like climate change and social responsibility are viewed as peripheral—"luxury” concerns that have little relevance when day-to-day survival is at stake. Policymakers must first focus on alleviating the immediate struggles that people face. Only once these fundamental needs are addressed can we expect individuals to shift their attention toward sustainability and social responsibility.