1 Name: University: Course: Tutor: Date: Summary of Steer and Rhodes model on Absenteeism 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 are Steers and Rhodes. Absenteeism and its causes 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 of occurrence of frequent absence from work. Fitzpatrick and Huczynski (1989) defined absenteeism as non attendance when scheduled to be in work and in this, holidays as well as other planned leaves are not included. Absenteeism according to Gary (2007) generally refers to a situation whereby an

2 individual's misses his or her regular scheduled daily activities/duties/task/responsibilities. He 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. Absence refers to non-attendance at work when attendance was scheduled or clearly 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 dissatisfied clients, overtime for other workers among others. 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 gender age, education among others (Bevan, et al. 2004). The model The Steers and Rhodes model was developed a year later after Nicholson developed his in 1977. In Nicholson model, he assumed that personal characteristics, organizational commitment (attachment to the organization) and work involvement, random factors such as vehicle mechanical problems, attendance motivation do influence attendance and absence of

3 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 (Steers and Susan, 1978). 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 well as transport problems, pressure to attend that include attendance reward system/incentives/bonuses, work group norms all either in isolation or in combination influence 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 affecting attendance motivation. From the diagram, attendance motivation is influenced by organizational practices, 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 bloc/barrier to be overcome. From figure 1, organizational practices, employees attitude, goals and values do affect or influence employees absence culture. Rhodes and Steers (1990, p. 1112), summarizes the issue to do with job satisfaction that absenteeism can be symbolic of deeper feelings of hostility or perceptions of inequitable treatment in the job situation. 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 satisfied with their work (Rhodes and Steers 1990). 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 conditions, family responsibilities (Rhodes and Steers, 1978). 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 serious consequence as it may compel employees to permanently or temporarily leave the 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 is inversely related to absenteeism (Rhodes and Steers, 1990)

Figure 1. Steers and Rhodes Model of Absenteeism Advantages of the model 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). Limitation of the model 250 One notable limitation of the initial model is its failure to incorporate the

6 multidimensionality of absence behavior. It also fails to separate absenteeism into a number of components hence not capable of establishing hidden factors that contribute to the habit of nonattendance. The model also measures overall absenteeism hence specific causes can not be easily pinpointed hence difficult to examine hidden results (Steers, 1981). 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 kinship factors (Bevan and Hayday, 1998). 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 attend work-what has been known as attendance relationship. 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 full (Gary 2007).

8 References Gary Johns (2007) Absenteeism in George Ritzer (ed.) The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, Blackwell Publishing. Harrison, D and Kenneth, H (2003) Context and consistency in absenteeism: studying social and dispositional inluences across multiple settings. University of Texa,13(2), 203-225. Huczynski, A. A. and Fitzpatrick, M.J. (1989) Managing employee absence for a competitive edge. London, Pitman Porter, L. W., and Steers, R. M. (l973) Organizational, Work, and Personal Factors in Employee Turnover and Absenteeism, Psychological Bulletin, 80, l5l-l76.

Steers, R. and Susan, R. (1978) Major influences on employee attendance: A process model. Journal of Applied Psychology 63(4), 391-407. 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: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Steers, R. M.(1980) Organizational Effectiveness: A Behavioral View. Santa Monica,CA.

Mowday, R. T., and Steers, R. M. (1979) Research in Organizations: Issues and Controversies. Santa Monica, CA.: Goodyear Publishing Co.,

9 Steers, R. M., and Porter, L. W. (1979) Motivation and Work Behavior, Second Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company

Steers, R. M. (1981) Introduction to Organizational Behavior. Glenview, IL.: Scott, Foresman. Markowich, M. Michael (1993) Attendance Required: Small Business Reports. Ramsey, J. and Punnett, J. (2007) Job attitudes and absenteeism: A case study in the English speaking Caribbean. Elsevier Inc 42(2), 150-344 American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000).[online] Houghton Mifflin Company. Available from: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/absenteeism [Accessed 11th August 2010]