The Gender of Managers and Sickness Absence

Anne May Melsom

doi:10.1177/2158244015574208

Abstract

This study analyses the association between the gender of managers and sickness absence in workplaces. It uses Norwegian administrative register data which are broadly representative of the private workforce. Previous research argues that the gender of managers affects a range of outcomes related to performance and productivity, but sickness absence has received limited attention. The analyses indicate a positive relationship between female managers and sickness absence rates. The results are in line with theories of a more lenient absence culture at workplaces managed by women.

Highlights

During the last decades, women have entered the labor market in growing numbers
I started with a model using standard Poisson regression including all mentioned variables except occupational categories. These were added in Model 2 using conditional Poisson regression, which means that only variation within the same occupation/year category was used to estimate the association between female managers and sickness absence rates
In Model 1, the results showed that sickness absence rates were 6.3% higher on workplaces with female managers compared with workplaces with male managers

Summary

Introduction

Women have entered the labor market in growing numbers. They are still a minority in management positions but are gaining ground in this part of the labor market too. The gender composition of these positions is an important issue for researchers as well as policy makers and politicians. This concern is motivated by a goal of achieving equal opportunities for men and women, and by the idea that having both men and women in powerful positions has positive implications for organizations and for the society as a whole. In the United States and Canada, the “business case for diversity” has grown popular According to this understanding, diversity in the workforce and in management will increase organizational performance (Kochan et al, 2003; Meriläinen, Tienari, Katila, & Benschop, 2009). Another line of research claims that women and men have different management styles and that these differences influence working conditions and productivity (Eagly & Carli, 2003)

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Conclusion