Absenteeism Literature Review

2.0 Literature review

2.1 Definition of key components

The traditional definition of employee absenteeism according to Martocchio, J.J. (1989), is the lack of physical presence at a given location and time when there is a social expectation for the employee to be there. While American Heritage dictionary (2000), stated that absenteeism as the habitual failure for one to appear in most cases for regular duties bestowed to them or the rate of occurrence of frequent absence from work. Absenteeism is also can be defined as a form of individual “misbehavior” which is stated by Ackroyd and Thompson, (1999).

The variables of the research like health can be defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence

This model supports the idea of a relationship between personal characteristics and absence. This is because the decision to attend or not is, as suggested by Steers and Rhodes, influenced by the employee 's personal characteristics (Steers and Rhodes, 1978).

Another theory that can be related to the variables of this research is the Maslow’ hierarchy need of theory which is related with the job satisfaction variable. A significant number of literature review on motivation stated that, employee has problem regarding what they want from their job. Hence, these decisions have been based on Maslow 's needs hierarchy, including the factor of prepotency. (E. Gawel, 1997)

Models Description Strength Weakness Source

Nicholson’s (1977) ‘Attachment’ theory The purpose of this theory was to help predict employee absenteeism • Justification of time and cost • Impractical for large organisation (Nicholson 2007),

Steers and Rhodes (1978) ‘Process Model’ This model supports the idea of a relationship between personal characteristics and absence • Theory based which is simple to use • The model only helps in coming up with speculations or proposition.

• The model does not also explain the findings from carried out studies. (Brooke, 1986)

(Porter and Steers, 1973)

(Seccombe,

This research uses the sample size of four workers from different professional categories. While the variables used by the researcher is the tie break of social and the financial status. Finding from this research shows that cause of absenteeism is from the part of the tie break of social in the working environment. In the research of employee absenteeism which including the psychosocial factors at work and sickness absence, the sample is from the French National Survey SUMER 2010 that included 46,962 employees. The variables used by the researcher were age, occupation, economic activity, and other occupational exposures. The finding of the research is for both genders, low latitude, low reward, shift work, bullying, and verbal abuse were risk factors of absence spells while long working hours were a protective factor. This research highlights the importance of psychosocial work factors as risk factors of absence. (Lesuffleur et al.,