Abstract
This article concentrates on the extent to which job satisfaction predicts absenteeism and substance use levels, and also investigates the moderating effect of job satisfaction on absenteeism and substance use levels amongst employees at a power utility in Mpumalanga. This study is based on data gathered from a survey regarding job satisfaction, absenteeism and the substance consumption levels of employees, its antecedents and outcomes. A total of 239 permanent employees based at a power utility in Mpumalanga participated in the research study. These employees were employed in a permanent position at the power utility, gave consent to participate in the research study willingly and were employed for more than three months. The core findings of this study revealed that the frequency of substance consumption influences employee absenteeism and that job satisfaction indeed plays a moderating role on the relationship between substance consumption levels and employee absenteeism. The findings of this study can assist management to understand the relationship between substance consumption and absenteeism and how job satisfaction influences this relationship in order torestrict unnecessary absenteeism properly. The study added value to the field of study by providing complementary scientific research to the lacking literature. In addition, it confirms international findings and its applicability in the energy sector.
Highlights
The substance use habits of employees can have a harmful effect on the employees’ colleagues, the organisation and even the community because it decreases the competitiveness and efficiency of the organisation (Roche, Pidd, & Kostadinov, 2016)
Dissatisfied individuals will engage in behaviour that harms the organisation, other employees or both and vice versa (Mazni, Roziah, Maimunah, & Bahaman, 2013).the current study focuses on the revised model of Goldberg and Waldman (2000) and Lee and Ross (2011), which indicates a substanceabsenteeism relationship including variables capturing both the frequency substances is consumed, and the amount of substance consumption and focus on the use of alcohol and other substance use
The adjusted R2 (0.10) indicates very little shrinkage from the unadjusted value (0.10), which means that the model may still be generalised. This finding is supported by the study of Ones, Viswesvaran and Schmidt (2003), which found that job satisfaction predicts absenteeism and determines that there is a relationship between absenteeism and substance abuse
Summary
The substance use habits of employees can have a harmful effect on the employees’ colleagues, the organisation and even the community because it decreases the competitiveness and efficiency of the organisation (Roche, Pidd, & Kostadinov, 2016). Substance abuse is a global concern and is on the increase among employees in South Africa. According to the National Drug Master Plan of South Africa (Department of Social Development, 2010), the majority of individuals that received treatment from 2008 until 2010 reported using cannabis, cocaine, heroin and amphetamines. This plan stipulates that for the same period a total number of 4288 individuals in the Mpumalanga region were treated for substance abuse
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
