Absenteeism in the manufacturing sector: A qualitative analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51302/rtss.2011.5171Keywords:
absenteeism, performance, absence cultureAbstract
The aim of this paper is to study absenteeism in the manufacturing sector. Based on framework borrow from the management literature, we run a qualitative analysis on four distinct organizations. The case studies were carefully selected, two with a high percentage of absenteeism and two with a lower rate. In-depth interviews were conducted with managers or directors of human resource departments with the aim of understanding the policies and practices they use to control this absenteeism. The results were explained using two distinct conceptual models: Motivation for Attendance (Nicholson, 1977) and the Typology of Absence cultures (Nicholson y Johns, 1985). Our findings show that these companies only manage absenteeism partially in addressing its causes. They only use control and punishment measures which serve to manage the phenomenon over the short term but which are shown to be ineffective in reducing absentee rates over the long term. Furthermore, we also find that the organizations do not adequately assess blue-collar worker absenteeism which showed the higher rates. Our discussion is based on these findings, identifying the different key variables that determine absenteeism. We also propose incorporating a holistic approach to better understand and manage this organizational phenomenon. Lastly, some recommendations for practice are also provided.
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