Influence of Job Satisfaction on Employee Absenteeism in Sri Lankan Workplaces Consequences of Employee Absenteeism in Sri Lanka

 

Consequences of Employee Absenteeism in Sri Lanka.

This blog discovers positive and negative consequences at the individual, group, organizational, and societal levels. Many managerial approaches mainly have discussed the negative consequences of absenteeism. If there are negative consequences, the primary action implication is that absenteeism should be reduced. A careful analysis of the benefits and costs of absenteeism may be a useful managerial activity (Goodman and Atkin, 1984).

 

	Positive	Negative
Individual	Reduction of job-related stress Meeting of nonwork role obligations Benefit from compensatory nonwork activities Compliance with norms to be absent	Loss of pay Discipline, formal and informal Increased accidents Altered job perception
Co Workers	Job variety Skill Development Overtime pay	Increased work load Undesired Overtime Increased accidents Conflict with absent worker
Work Group	Crew Knowledge of multiple job Greater Crew Flexibility in Responding to absenteeism and to Production problems	Increased coordination problem Decreased Productivity Increased accidents
Organization management	Greater job Knowledge base in work force Greater labor-force flexibility	Decreased Productivity Increased cost More grievances Increased accidents
Union Officers	Articulated and strengthened power position Increased solidarity among members	Weakened power position Increased cost in processing grievances
Family	Opportunity to deal with health or illness problems Opportunity to manage marital problems Opportunity to manage child Problems Maintenance of spouse’s earnings	Less earnings Decline in work reputation Aggravated marriage and child problems
Society	Reduction of job stress and mental health problems Reduction of marital related problems Participation in community political processes	Loss of productivity
Table 01: Consequences of Absenteeism; Source- Goodman and Atkin, 1984. For an instance, one-day absence of an employee facilitates job switching and enhancement of multiple Job skills per employee; do not enhance the acquisition of multiple skills and serve primarily to assist in family activities (for example, child care). The organization may not want to eliminate this form of absence. But, this role of vacancy makes unfamiliarity of the replacement in causing lower productivity. One remedy for this situation is training replacements for specific jobs and thus reducing the amount of unfamiliarity when a replacement is necessary. If a worker is absent for a period and returns to a work situation unfamiliar with various aspects of work: the chances for accidents may be increased. One remedy, particularly for workers would be to provide some form of safety training prior to retuning to work. Or, if absenteeism leads to the replacement of a worker by someone unfamiliar with various aspects of work, then some form of training for the replacement may minimize accidents. Effects of Absenteeism Control Plan 1.     The existence of an absenteeism control plan may increase grievances, a potential cost to the organization. 2.     It is difficult to administer an absenteeism control program so that all employees are treated equitably. 3.     Absenteeism-control plans are not quick solutions to reducing absenteeism. If an absenteeism-control plan is implemented, a major investment in training should be undertaken, and a feedback system should be installed to ensure that the program is working equitably over time. These organizational interventions will not eliminate the consequences of absenteeism but surely will moderate their negative Impact. This example is suggested to illustrate how alternative forms of work organization may be Important in understanding the absenteeism-consequence relationship. References Goodman, P. S., & Atkin, R. S. (1984). Effects of absenteeism on individuals and organizations. Tepper School of Business. http://repository.cmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1836&context=tepper