Abstract
Due to their impact on various stakeholder groups, research on the global phenomena of sickness presenteeism (working despite illness) and sickness absenteeism (absence due to illness) is constantly growing. Most studies focus on identifying factors associated with the attendance behaviors. In contrast, there have been few theoretical approaches to explain the individual decision-making process for or against working while ill. Moreover, their empirical verification is still pending. In the present study, we refer to expectancy theory to theoretically explain how the decision is made. To empirically test the model predictions we applied experimental vignette methodology in an online survey with working adults. The hypotheses were confirmed in that the calculated and predicted decisions significantly matched the intentionally chosen decisions. The results contribute to a better theoretical understanding of the decision-making process and provide starting points for interventions to manage attendance behavior in organizations.
Highlights
Absence from work because of illness and presence in spite of illness that would warrant absence from work have received considerable research attention (Ruhle et al, 2020)
Sickness absenteeism and sickness presenteeism research has mainly developed along parallel paths the phenomena are the result of a complex decision-making process that rules out the other alternative (Johns, 2010; Halbesleben et al, 2014; Lohaus and Habermann, 2019)
Scholars point to Decision Process Attendance Behavior the imperative of a single theoretical framework that brings both concepts together (Johns, 2010, 2011; Halbesleben et al, 2014; Gosselin, 2018)
Summary
Absence from work because of illness (sickness absenteeism) and presence in spite of illness that would warrant absence from work (sickness presenteeism) have received considerable research attention (Ruhle et al, 2020). The theoretical frameworks mostly consider the attendance behaviors separately and do not explain how determinants interact at the point of decision between presence and absence in case of illness (Gosselin, 2018) They name relevant factors, but usually do not address the fact that attendance behaviors occur in contexts that are characterized by social dynamics (Johns, 2010) and for each individual variables influencing the decision combine in a unique way. Dialectical tensions are assumed to emerge from three key contradictions: autonomy-connection, predictability-novelty, and openness-closedness, with the latter relating to power due to the sharing of information The authors transfer this approach to the work setting and postulate that the decision to attend work or not in case of illness is a means to manage experienced tensions on the side of the employee.
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