A quantitative trend investigation of absenteeism within a selected chemical operational unit

Abstract

Workplace absence, or otherwise known as absenteeism, is the failure of an employee to report for a scheduled work arrangement. Absenteeism is a serious problem on a global scale that result in reduced efficiency, financial losses and affect the work-life balance of fellow employees. Absenteeism management is a complicated task that requires clear rules, policies and sufficient support focus to affect a positive change in absence behaviour. This study investigated absenteeism and the management thereof. As a major consideration, the management of absenteeism provided the direction for the research objectives. The management of absenteeism includes the identification of focus areas, and as a result, the objectives of investigation revolved around identifying absenteeism trends through the analysis of empirical attendance data. The population was used in the data analysis and no sampling was drawn. The study investigated two absenteeism influences classified as personal traits and organisational characteristics. A quantitative research design was used. The findings confirm that absenteeism trends are linked to both personal traits and organisational characteristics. The findings also confirmed the Pareto principle in absence behaviour; a small number of individuals contribute largely to the overall absence duration. The individual traits that were linked to absence trends based on absence frequency and duration included age, seasonality and first day first of absence. The organisational characteristics that were linked to absence trends based on absence frequency, and duration included role category (organisational responsibility), years of service absence type.