ABSENTEEISM IN SLOVENIAN COMPANIES

Abstract

The main research question is: How do Slovenian employers assess the level of absenteeism in their companies and what measures do they take to control it? We collected the data for research in 155 Slovenian companies in 2019 by the use of a questionnaire (close- and open-ended questions) that was answered by the people responsible for staffing (human resource managers) or managers in small companies. In addition to questions for demographic data (region, activity, organisation’s size, ownership), we also included variables with the following descriptive answers: The range of absenteeism in a company; The reasons for absenteeism in a company; Absenteeism management in a company; Actions for absenteeism management in a company. Absenteeism is not perceived as critical, but it is more often present among production workers. Various diseases are still the most common reason for absenteeism. The employees are mainly committed to work and do not take advantage of sick leave. The employers should establish systems for managing absenteeism within the companies. In this respect, the system should also consider how committed to work the worker is, how efficient is in using the elements of work and how qualitative is his output. On the basis of these findings, it would be advisable to prepare a research instrument with which we could identify what is happening in the field of absenteeism and which actions should be taken at the national, regional level or at the companies’ level, especially in the period of the Covid-19 pandemic.