The Social and Relational Dynamics of Absenteeism from Work: A Multi-Level Review and Integration

Miraglia, Mariella ORCID: 0000-0003-0393-6675 and Johns, Gary (2021) The Social and Relational Dynamics of Absenteeism from Work: A Multi-Level Review and Integration. Academy of Management Annals, 15 (1). pp. 37-67.

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Official URL: https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/annals.2019.0...

Abstract

Absenteeism from work is disruptive and expensive for organizations and may be indicative of poor work adjustment for employees. It is therefore important to understand the causes of absenteeism. However, traditional individual-centric explanations for absence are inadequate, particularly given the rise of contemporary relational, team-focused, and customer-driven work designs and in growing recognition of the permeable boundary between work and nonwork. Although there has been considerable, if fragmented, research interest in the social and relational causation of absenteeism, limited effort has been spent systematizing the evidence and formulating an overall model of the social dynamics of the behavior. Our review integrates this multidisciplinary body of research, explicating the social and relational determinants of absenteeism. We propose a multi-level model that identifies the social factors shaping absence that stem from the work (organization, occupation) and non-work (family, community, nation/society) domains. The model establishes six primary paths and related theories through which these social factors operate, including normative influence, social exchange, job resources, work attitudes, emotions, and ethics. The review offers extensive evidence for the influence of the social context and provides insights concerning how team dynamics, occupational norms, gender composition, family demands, community forces, and cultural context affect absenteeism. We conclude with future research directions and social implications for attendance management, bridging the absenteeism and presenteeism literatures.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Absenteeism, Social control, Social norms, Social exchange
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	26 Jun 2020 10:43
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 23:48
DOI:	10.5465/annals.2019.0036
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3090774