IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v7y2018i8p120-d159726.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Determinants and Outcomes of Absence Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Vedrana Čikeš

    (Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Primorska 42, P.O. Box 97, 51410 Opatija, Croatia)

  • Helga Maškarin Ribarić

    (Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Primorska 42, P.O. Box 97, 51410 Opatija, Croatia)

  • Kristina Črnjar

    (Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Primorska 42, P.O. Box 97, 51410 Opatija, Croatia)

Abstract

This research aims to identify and analyze the frequency of the researched determinants and outcomes of absenteeism and thus create an extensive pool of knowledge that can be used for further research. A systematic review, based on Tranfield, Denyer, and Smart’s guidelines of 2003, was used. An electronic search of the Scopus database led to the inclusion of 388 peer-reviewed research articles. Finally, 100 top-quality articles were analyzed using content analysis. This article provides several starting points for practitioners and researchers when investigating absenteeism and its potential determinants and outcomes. It also shows that there is an evident imbalance between empirical research dealing with determinants and research dealing with absenteeism outcomes. Employee attitudes stand out among the most repetitive absenteeism causes, while turnover, organizational health, and loss of productivity are some of the most researched absenteeism outcomes. Most research takes place in the manufacturing industries, followed by hospitals and other public service organizations, banks, and insurance companies. This systematic literature review is the first known attempt of this kind of review of the causes and consequences of absence behavior. It covers a wide range of literature published from 1969 until today and includes more than 150 different absenteeism determinants and outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Vedrana Čikeš & Helga Maškarin Ribarić & Kristina Črnjar, 2018. "The Determinants and Outcomes of Absence Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-26, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:7:y:2018:i:8:p:120-:d:159726
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/7/8/120/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/7/8/120/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. T. Redman & H. Malloch & B. Kleymann & P. Hamilton, 2011. "Working here makes me sick - The consequences of sick building syndrome," Post-Print hal-00786503, HAL.
    2. Terry H. Wagar, 2001. "Consequences of Work Force Reduction: Some Employer and Union Evidence ," Journal of Labor Research, Transaction Publishers, vol. 22(4), pages 851-862, October.
    3. Arai, Mahmood & Thoursie, Peter Skogman, 2005. "Incentives and selection in cyclical absenteeism," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 269-280, April.
    4. Rainer Winkelmann, 1999. "Wages, firm size and absenteeism," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(6), pages 337-341.
    5. Andrea Ichino & Regina T. Riphahn, 2005. "The Effect of Employment Protection on Worker Effort: Absenteeism During and After Probation," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(1), pages 120-143, March.
    6. Cohen, Aaron, 0. "An examination of the relationship between work commitment and work outcomes among hospital nurses," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 14(1-2), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Knut Røed & Elisabeth Fevang, 2007. "Organizational Change, Absenteeism, and Welfare Dependency," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 42(1).
    8. Theorell, Tores & Leymann, Heinz & Jodko, Margareta & Konarski, Kristoffer & Norbeck, Hans Erik, 1994. "'Person under train' incidents from the subway driver's point of view--A prospective 1-year follow-up study: The design, and medical and psychiatric data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 471-475, February.
    9. Georges Dionne & Benoit Dostie, 2007. "New Evidence on the Determinants of Absenteeism Using Linked Employer-Employee Data," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 61(1), pages 108-120, October.
    10. Joanna Leśniowska & Agata Schubert & Michał Wojna & Iwona Skrzekowska-Baran & Marta Fedyna, 2014. "Costs of diabetes and its complications in Poland," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(6), pages 653-660, July.
    11. Gerstenfeld, Arthur, 1969. "Employee absenteeism: New insights : Data reveal external factors," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 51-57, October.
    12. Tridas Mukhopadhyay & Surendra Rajiv & Kannan Srinivasan, 1997. "Information Technology Impact on Process Output and Quality," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(12), pages 1645-1659, December.
    13. Vincenzo Scoppa, 2010. "Worker absenteeism and incentives: evidence from Italy," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(8), pages 503-515, December.
    14. Flavia Coda Moscarola & Elsa Fornero & Steinar Strøm, 2016. "Absenteeism, childcare and the effectiveness of pension reforms," IZA Journal of European Labor Studies, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Rosse, Joseph G. & Hulin, Charles L., 1985. "Adaptation to work: An analysis of employee health, withdrawal, and change," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 324-347, December.
    16. Zaccaro, Stephen J. & Craig, Barbara & Quinn, Jeffrey, 1991. "Prior absenteeism, supervisory style, job satisfaction, and personal characteristics: An investigation of some mediated and moderated linkages to work absenteeism," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 24-44, October.
    17. Mariesa A. Herrmann & Jonah E. Rockoff, 2012. "Worker Absence and Productivity: Evidence from Teaching," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 30(4), pages 749-782.
    18. Jessica Primoff Vistnes, 1997. "Gender Differences in Days Lost from Work Due to Illness," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 50(2), pages 304-323, January.
    19. Martin Zuba & Ulrike Schneider, 2013. "What Helps Working Informal Caregivers? The Role of Workplace Characteristics in Balancing Work and Adult-Care Responsibilities," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 460-469, December.
    20. Punnett, Betty Jane & Greenidge, Dion & Ramsey, Jase, 2007. "Job attitudes and absenteeism: A study in the English speaking Caribbean," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 214-227, June.
    21. Susi Störmer & Ren順ahr, 2013. "Individual determinants of work attendance: evidence on the role of personality," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(19), pages 2863-2875, July.
    22. Stephen J. Deery & Roderick D. Iverson, 2005. "Labor-Management Cooperation: Antecedents and Impact on Organizational Performance," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 58(4), pages 588-609, July.
    23. Bamberger, Peter & Biron, Michal, 2007. "Group norms and excessive absenteeism: The role of peer referent others," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 179-196, July.
    24. Tim Barmby & Michael Nolan & Rainer Winkelmann, 2001. "Contracted Workdays and Absence," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 69(3), pages 269-275, June.
    25. Barmby, Tim & Nolan, Michael & Winkelmann, Rainer, 2001. "Contracted Workdays and Absence," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 69(3), pages 269-275, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Vadean, Florin & Saloniki, Eirini, 2021. "Job separation and sick leave in the long-term care sector in England," GLO Discussion Paper Series 994, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bratberg, Espen & Monstad, Karin, 2015. "Worried sick? Worker responses to a financial shock," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 111-120.
    2. Ziebarth, Nicolas R., 2013. "Long-term absenteeism and moral hazard—Evidence from a natural experiment," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 277-292.
    3. Lorenz, Olga & Goerke, Laszlo, 2015. "Commuting and Sickness Absence," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113173, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    4. Christian Pfeifer, 2014. "Base Salaries, Bonus Payments, and Work Absence among Managers in a German Company," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 61(5), pages 523-536, November.
    5. Maria De Paola & Valeria Pupo & Vincenzo Scoppa, 2009. "Absenteeism In The Italian Public Sector: The Effects Of Changes In Sick Leave Compensation," Working Papers 200916, Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di Economia, Statistica e Finanza "Giovanni Anania" - DESF.
    6. Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Theodossiou, Ioannis, 2010. "An Inquiry Into The Theory, Causes And Consequences Of Monitoring Indicators Of Health And Safety At Work," SIRE Discussion Papers 2010-120, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    7. Wolter H. J. Hassink & Roberto M. Fernandez, 2018. "Worker Morale and Effort: Is the Relationship Causal?," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 86(6), pages 816-839, December.
    8. Vincenzo Scoppa & Daniela Vuri, 2014. "Absenteeism, unemployment and employment protection legislation: evidence from Italy," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, December.
    9. Michele Battisti & Giovanna Vallanti, 2013. "Flexible Wage Contracts, Temporary Jobs, and Firm Performance: Evidence From Italian Firms," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 737-764, July.
    10. De Paola, Maria, 2010. "Absenteeism and peer interaction effects: Evidence from an Italian Public Institute," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 420-428, June.
    11. Grinza, Elena & Rycx, François, 2018. "The Impact of Sickness Absenteeism on Productivity: New Evidence from Belgian Matched Panel Data," IZA Discussion Papers 11543, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Thomas Leoni & René Böheim, 2018. "Fehlzeitenreport 2018. Krankheits- und unfallbedingte Fehlzeiten in Österreich – Präsentismus und Absentismus," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 61487, April.
    13. Susi Störmer & Ren順ahr, 2013. "Individual determinants of work attendance: evidence on the role of personality," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(19), pages 2863-2875, July.
    14. Daniel Arnold & Tobias Brändle & Laszlo Goerke, 2014. "Sickness Absence and Works Councils - Evidence from German Individual and Linked Employer-Employee Data," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201410, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    15. Harald Pfeifer, 2014. "Absenteeism in Apprenticeships: What Role Do Works Councils Play?," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0098, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised Aug 2015.
    16. Goerke, Laszlo & Pannenberg, Markus, 2015. "Trade union membership and sickness absence: Evidence from a sick pay reform," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 13-25.
    17. Cristini, Annalisa & Origo, Federica & Pinoli, Sara, 2017. "The healthy fright of losing a good one for a bad one," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 129-144.
    18. Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Theodoropoulos, Nikolaos, 2009. "Performance Pay as an Incentive for Lower Absence Rates in Britain," MPRA Paper 18238, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. D.S. Possenriede & W.H.J. Hassink & J. Plantenga, 2014. "Does temporal and locational flexibility of work reduce absenteeism?," Working Papers 14-09, Utrecht School of Economics.
    20. Arnold, Daniel & Brändle, Tobias & Goerke, Laszlo, 2013. "Sickness Absence, Works Councils, and Personnel Problems. Evidence from German Individual and Linked Employer-Employee Data," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79906, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:7:y:2018:i:8:p:120-:d:159726. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.