The legitimacy of absenteeism from work: a nine nation exploratory study

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a model in which work centrality, locus of control, polychronicity, preference for gender‐role differentiation, and perceived social support were expected to vary between nations and to be associated with general perceptions of absence legitimacy and self‐reported absenteeism.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 1,535 employees working in ten large multinationals organizations, mostly in the consumer products and technology sectors located in nine countries.FindingsThe explanatory variables differed significantly across countries, as did perceived legitimacy, responses to absence scenarios, and self‐reported absence. The variables of interest, as a package, partially mediated the association between country and one dimension of legitimacy and country and the scenario responses.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough absenteeism from work is a universal phenomenon, there is very little cross‐cultural research on the subject. This study has implications for filling this critical research gap. Limitations of this research are the use of convenience sampling and self‐reported absence data.Practical implicationsFrom a practical standpoint, this study demonstrates that organizations which attempt to develop corporate‐wide attendance policies that span national borders should take indigenous norms and expectations concerning absenteeism into consideration. Additionally, in an increasingly mobile global workforce, how does an individual who has been socialized in a nation where absence is generally viewed as a more legitimate behavior behave in a nation where it is viewed as less so?Originality/valueThis study illustrates the value of the legitimacy construct for studying absenteeism, both within and between nations. It also illustrates the value of building models incorporating variables that accommodate both cross‐national variation and individual differences within nations.