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Introduction
The paper will provide a detailed summary of Steer and Rhodes model on absenteeism as
well as define the term absenteeism from various authors’ perspective. In addition the paper will
briefly bring to light the causes of or rather what factors contribute to absenteeism.
Contrary to the expectation of the management, it has been noted that one major problem
hitting businesses including hotels is employees’ absenteeism. For this reason something thus
needs to be done-attendance management (Sybil M. et al. 2008). Thus a number of authors have
developed models that are theorized to try to explain as well as curb the habit one of such authors
According to the American Heritage dictionary (2000), absenteeism has been defined as
the habitual failure for one to appear in most cases for regular duties bestowed to them or the rate
scheduled to be in work and in this, holidays as well as other planned leaves are not included.
further notes that it typically refers to missing schools for those who attend schooling and
absence from place of work for those adults employed. Absenteeism is either approved or
unapproved.
expected. Absenteeism has been defined has the expression of a choice by a worker not to
present themselves at their working station at a time when it is intended by organization that they
should be present to carryout their assigned duties (Ramsey and Punnett, 2007).
From these three definition, one thing that comes out clear is missing from place of work,
Markowich (1993) and SOHO guidebook noted that the habit have enormous cost to businesses
for instance lost productivity, low employee morale, possibility of losing business and
Absenteeism is usually caused by a myriad of factors that either plays direct or indirect
parts. Generally speaking there are four major causes of absence these are health and lifestyle,
attitude and stress, work place and domestic and kinship factors (Bevan and Hayday, 1998). All
these include but not limited to, sickness, transportation problems, organizational commitment,
financial stress, childcare responsibilities, and employee turnover. Other determinants include
The model
The Steers and Rhodes model was developed a year later after Nicholson developed his
commitment (attachment to the organization) and work involvement, random factors such as
employees.
On this basis, Steers and Rhodes developed a model on absenteeism which according to
Harrison and Martocchio, 1998 was deemed to be very influential and frequently cited in
literatures about absenteeism within organizations. The model states that the capability of
employees or workers to attend work is primarily dictated by how motivated as well as their
ability to attend and perform their duties. These variables, ability and motivation have been
thought to interact in a manner that an individual supposed ability to be present at work usually
moderates his/her enthusiasm to attend work-what has been known as attendance relationship
The two further argued that personal characteristics or attributes which include sex
(gender), tenure, family size, education, in addition to that, job satisfaction, organizational
commitment, the ability to attend which encompass sickness, family responsibilities, accidents as
absenteeism of employees. It is worth to note that these were addition to their initial model
developed in 1978 which only identified job satisfaction as the only specific significant factor
culture of absenteeism, attitude, values and goals of employees. Employees who are fully
satisfied with their jobs do have strong loyalty to the organization and proud of it hence will
desire to actively engage in activities to better the organization, and this is done by being present
at work.
Those workers with low organizational commitment in most cases will not put a lot of
4
efforts or sacrifice for the sake of bettering the organization (Rhodes and Steers, 1990, 1978).
For instance, small issues such as bad weather will an excuse for such employees not to report;
on the other hand those with very high organizational commitment will see such a situation as a
and values do affect or influence employees’ absence culture. Rhodes and Steers (1990, p. 11-
12), summarizes the issue to do with job satisfaction that “absenteeism can be symbolic of
It is thus expected from the model that attendance motivation would be higher for
workers perceived to strongly believe that work is more central to their life than other activities
and for those who suggest that they are highly and actively involved in the work and highly
As shown in the figure, the relationship or link between attendance motivation and the
real attendance of workers is dictated by a worker thought ability to be present at his/her work
station. This in turn is influenced by both organizational practices and barriers that hinder
attendance, the barriers are illness, accidents, transportation problems, adverse weather
These reasons of absenteeism are known as involuntary, since the reasons are deemed
legitimate traditionally. Barrier to attendance for instance employee health have been theorized
in the model as one of the causal factor for absenteeism (Brook, 1986, Rhode and Steers, 1990
and Steers and Rhodes, 1978). Workers poor in health are prone to falling sick for this reason
will use sick leave. Similarly, job stress another attendance barrier coupled with health does have
organization. Personal characteristics also area barrier to attendance, gender, tenure, education
5
and age do affect/influence employees’ ability to attend work. The model hypothesizes that age
The model do have advantages for instance it is theory based (theorized), simple to use
and offer general results about the habit, it also gives researchers the base or starting point in
expanding and coming up with other new suitable models (Porter and Steers, l973).
One notable limitation of the initial model is its failure to incorporate the
6
components hence not capable of establishing hidden factors that contribute to the habit of non-
attendance. The model also measures overall absenteeism hence specific causes can not be easily
Other studies have shown that motivation do not have direct as well as indirect influence
on attendance or are rather weakly related to each other (Ramsey and Punnett, 2007).
The model only helps in coming up with speculations and propositions, it does not also
explain the findings from carried out studies; finally, the model is thought to be very complex
hence only a portion of it can be tested thus some hidden issues are not brought to light
(Seccombe, 1995).
Conclusion
From various authors’ definition of absenteeism, what comes out clearly is the fact that
employees do not avail themselves at their duty station when it is required. There are two kinds
of absenteeism, approved and unapproved. The causes of the habit are myriad but broadly
categorized into four; are health and lifestyle, attitude and stress, work place and domestic and
Various scholars have developed models about absenteeism, one notable model is that
developed by Steers and Rhodes which postulates that the capability of employees or workers to
attend work is primarily dictated by how motivated as well as their ability to attend and perform
their duties. These variables, ability and motivation have been thought to interact in a manner
that an individual supposed ability to be present at work usually moderates his/her enthusiasm to
The model do have advantages such as it is simple to use, lay benchmark for
7
improvement and development of new suitable models, it is theorized, on the other hand it has a
number of limitations for instance the initial model failed to incorporate the multidimensionality
of absence behavior and it has been thought to be a complex model hence can not be applied in
References
Gary Johns (2007) Absenteeism in George Ritzer (ed.) The Blackwell Encyclopedia of
Harrison, D and Kenneth, H (2003) Context and consistency in absenteeism: studying social and
Huczynski, A. A. and Fitzpatrick, M.J. (1989) Managing employee absence for a competitive
Porter, L. W., and Steers, R. M. (l973) Organizational, Work, and Personal Factors in
Steers, R. and Susan, R. (1978) Major influences on employee attendance: A process model.
Rhodes, R. & Steers, R. (1990). Managing employee absenteeism. Addison: Wesley Publishing
Company.
Steers, R. M., and Porter, L. W. (l975) Motivation and Work Behavior. New York:
Steers, R. M., and Porter, L. W. (1979) Motivation and Work Behavior, Second Edition.
Foresman.
Ramsey, J. and Punnett, J. (2007) Job attitudes and absenteeism: A case study in the English
August 2010]