The purpose of this study is to use Adams' Equity Theory in order to examine the underlying processes/factors influencing absenteeism. Two primary issues were investigated. One was to examine the potential relationship between the perception of inequity and absenteeism. The second was to examine the potential relationship between the demographic characteristics of the perceiver and the perception of inequity and equity. A random stratified sample of 110 was drawn from automotive component manufacturing companies in KwaZulu-Natal. A specifically constructed questionnaire comprising of a biographical data section and another on assessing perceptions of inequity was administered. Data was analysed using SPSS. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The results indicated a significant relationship between the perception of inequity and absenteeism rates. Therefore, participants who perceived an inequitable situation in the workplace were absent more often than participants who perceived an equitable situation. Furthermore a significant relationship was found between age and tenure and the perception of inequity. Participants who perceived inequity were in the 31-35 age group and had been employed by their current company for between 6-10 years. No relationship was found between the biographical characteristics of gender, ethnic background, educational levels and the perception of inequity and equity. A major limitation of the study was access to historical absenteeism data of the participants. In order to generate a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics that underlie the relationship between perceived inequity in the workplace and behavioural reactions such as absenteeism, within a South African context, further research on the application of the theory must be done in future. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

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INTRODUCTION Sick leave absenteeism is a recognized problem in all work sectors. The financial impact of sick leave has been well-documented. A profile of sick leave records can establish the extent of the sick leave problem in a workplace, the associated and predisposing factors for sick leave and the patterns of sick leave amongst workers. A baseline profile of the sick leave patterns in a workplace should be a preliminary step toward developing a programme aimed at the improvement of workers' health and attendance at work. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to profile recorded sick leave for 2004 amongst permanent workers at the Consul Factory in Olifantsfontein, Midrand, Johannesburg in order to make recommendations to management. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study using a retrospective review of sick leave records of permanent workers at the Consul Glass factory for 2004. Information gathered included the demographic profile of workers who recorded sick leave, the frequency of sick leave, associated factors for sick leave, health care choices of workers with sick leave and the reasons for sick leave. Descriptive and analytic statistics have been presented. RESULTS • Workers over the age of fifty years had sick leave of longer duration compared to those younger than 50 years old (p<0.05). The median hours taken off for sick leave was higher in the male subgroup compared to the female subgroup of workers in the study population (p<0.05); • Workers from the production areas had more sick leave episodes for the year than workers from the non-production areas (p<0.05). Workers with bronchitis working in the production areas of the factory, had longer duration of sick leave compared to workers with bronchitis working in the nonproduction areas of the factory (p<0.05); • Workers on a variable shift schedule took more sick leave on days of the week that were unlinked to weekends and public holidays (p<0.05).A longer duration of sick leave occurred with certified sick leave compared with self reported sick leave (p<0.05); • In the study population, the majority were not medical aid members. Medical aid members had a longer duration of sick leave per episode compared to non-medical aid members (P<0.05); • Respiratory tract infection was the most common reason for sick leave. Of the ten most common reasons for sick leave, there was a significant difference in the mean number of hours of sick leave taken per episode for dental treatment and backache (p<0.05); • There was a significant difference in the mean number of hours of sick leave recommended by the four different sources of sick notes (p<0.05); • There was a significant association for worker interviews/counselling by the Human Resources' Department official and the worker having had four or more episodes of sick leave for the year (p<0.05). CONCLUSION The profile of sick leave at this company identified important associations with sick leave patterns. These significant findings provide management with baseline information, which can be used for the development of workplace interventions to address the taking of sick leave at the Consul Glass factory. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

The research study on "Nurses' views on which factors cause nurse absenteeism in a selected hospital, Durban, South Africa", was conducted utilizing a quantitative, non-experimental, simple survey design. The study was conducted at a provincial hospital in Durban. There were sixty nurses, which were involved in the study. The nurse study sample comprised ten Registered Nurses on day duty and ten Registered Nurses on night duty; ten Enrolled Nurses on day duty and ten Enrolled Nurses on night duty; ten Enrolled Nurse Assistants on day duty and ten Enrolled Nurse Assistants on night duty. Nurses consented to be apart of the study, following completion of the study questionnaire, The study was guided by the conceptual framework by Taunton, Hope Woods and Bott. (1995: 218). Independent variables of the nurse, nurse manager, work and organization and their associated characteristics were the main aspects of the study. These were investigated using separate methods of closed-ended and open-ended questions, to determine factors that caused absenteeism. The closed-ended questions consisted of questions to either responses of either an agree or disagree. There were open-ended, simple survey, questions. Statistical methods of A Exact Binomial Test of Significance were used to analyze the quantitative data of the closed-ended data collected. Content analysis, using a coding technique, with descriptive analysis techniques of frequency counts and frequency distributions, were utilized for data analysis for the open-ended data collected. There emerged many reasons for nurse absenteeism, employing two research designs, some of which were unknown until this research was complete and some reasons, which were known but now emphasized. Once the hospital management view upon all reasons for nurse absenteeism, there can possibly an understanding of nurse absenteeism, reducing nurse absenteeism and allowing for a better-managed workforce. / Theses--Nursing. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Thesis (MPA) -- University of Limpopo, 2011

The problem which prompted the undertaking of this study was that of increasing absenteeism amongst student nurses at one South African Nursing College. The information, obtained from individual and group interviews, was analysed to identify the perceptions developed by student nurses. Absenteeism is shown to be a behavioural response to environmental and other factors in the world of the student nurse. A theoretical model is proposed to explain three main types of absenteeism and the factors which contribute to absenteeism and attendance.

Thesis (M.A. (Nursing Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Absenteeism is a global problem in the working force and this is no exception in the nursing profession. A lot of attention has been drawn to factors that contribute to absenteeism however little attention has been placed on the effects of absenteeism on the remaining workers/nurses being left behind in the workplace by their colleagues. Nurses absent themselves leaving behind their colleagues to do their work. Nurses who are committed to their work often find themselves working under strenuous conditions due to inadequate staff. These may lead to poor patient care provision, nurses feeling overworked and sick due to the increased workload. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of absenteeism on nurses that remained at work at Mankweng Hospital in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. A descriptive cross sectional quantitative research design was conducted to determine if there were any effects of absenteeism on nurses remaining at work. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. The respondents (n=107), consisted of different categories of registered nurses (professional nurses (n=43), auxillary nurses (n=40) and staff nurses (n=24)) who participated in this study. The findings indicated that most nurses (76, 6%) are demotivated and they struggle with completion of duties when their colleagues are absent. Patient care that nurses provided when their colleagues were absent was of poor quality as set standards and principles were not adhered to. Individualised patient care was not being implemented due to absenteeism. This simply implies that routine work is being done to cover basic duties. Most nurses (74, 8%) believed that favoritism and lack of appreciation of nurse’s skills and capabilities are being displayed by managers and that this contributes to absenteeism. Nurses who are loyal sacrifice their time and work overtime for absent colleagues and this led to fatigue and stress. From the study findings it is recommended that nurses be trained frequently to upgrade their studies to motivate them to work. Government can provide this training to improve their skills as this will motivate nurses to work harder and be committed to their work. Trainings can be offered after a stipulated period. For example after every five years a nurse can be provided with a new skill. Team building events must be encouraged for the whole hospital to motivate staff. In conclusion the study revealed that absenteeism poses detrimental effects on nurses, the hospital and patients. More and more nurses end up changing work place due to these effects.

Thesis (MPA.) --University of Limpopo, 2005 / Refer to the document

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate primary school learners’ perceptions of educator absenteeism. This study, which was located at a government primary school in the suburb of Kloof in the Ethekweni region, KwaZulu –Natal, attempted to answer the following key research questions: What are primary school learners’ perceptions of educator absenteeism and, how do they perceive educator absenteeism to be impacting on their holistic development in the classroom. A qualitative case study within the interpretivist paradigm which this study uses, was regarded an appropriate methodology to provide narrative accounts of children’s opinions, understandings, attitudes and perceptions of their world. Two data collection instruments, namely the focus group interview and the closeended, were used. The questionnaire was used to enhance the representivity of the study by involving a larger sample of the target group. A pilot study of the focus group interview was done to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of the research questions, and to enhance the validity of the research. The learners’ responses guided the compilation of the close-ended questionnaire. Focus group interviews were conducted with each of the four Grade Six classes in the school which formed the target population of this study, and the questionnaire was randomly issued to fifteen (15) learners from each of the four Grade Six classes giving a total of 60 learners. Using the thematic analysis; and frequency counts the data suggests that learners perceive that educator absenteeism impacts negatively on learner development in the classroom with regards to issues such as learner interest and motivation, learner behaviour, learner-educator relationships, educator support and encouragement and classroom climate. The findings in this study concurred with other research studies, both qualitative and quantitative, in which more specific aspects of educator absence were investigated. Based on the findings of this research, the following recommendations were made: firstly, that learners must be meaningfully and constructively occupied during the socalled “free periods”, when the regular classroom educator is absent; secondly, a pool of qualified substitute educators to be established, to fill in for absentee educators so that the teaching and learning process is not disrupted and thirdly, the department of education should revisit its absentee and leave policy so as to apply stricter measures concerning educator absence in an effort to make educators more accountable for their attendance. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van die studie is om die verband tussen werksontevredenheid (as gevolg van vervelige- en roetinewerk asook swak bestuursbenaderings) en werksafwesigheid te bepaal. Werksafwesigheid beïnvloed organisasiedoeltreffendheid nadelig omdat daar 'n tekort aan korrektiewe beamptes is as gevolg van die oorbevolking van gevangenes in Pollsmoor-gevangenis. 'n Omvattende oorsig van gepubliseerde literatuur oor werksafwesigheid het die empiriese navorsing van hierdie studie voorafgegaan. Die volgende doelwitte is bereik in hierdie studie, naamlik: * Om die werksafwesigheidsverskynsel by wyse van 'n literatuuroorsig te beskryf. * Om Pollsmoor-gevangenis se werksafwesigheidsyfers en -statistiek aan te toon en die navorsingspopulasie in terme van werksafwesigheidsgroepe te kategoriseer. * Om response rakende die vlak van tevredenheid met die aard van die werk, bestuursbenaderings en ander derde veranderlikes in die werksomgewing, van 'n verteenwoordigende steekproef van die navorsingspopulasie in te win, te ontleed en te beskryf. * Om bevindings en aanbevelings te maak ten opsigte van werkstevredenheid met vervelige- en roetinewerk, swak bestuursbenaderings asook derde veranderlikes. Die bevindings van hierdie studie behoort voordelig aangewend te kan word deur die Korrektiewe Dienste en akademiese belangegroepe. Die bevindings van hierdie studie verskaf ook waardevolle inligting oor werksafwesigheid vir toekomstige navorsing. Summary The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between work absenteeism and work satisfaction with boring- and routine work, poor management styles and third variables. The following objectives have been reached in this study, namely: * To describe the work absenteeism phenomenon by means of a literature review. * To show Pollsmoor prison's work absenteeism figures and -statistics and to categorize the research population in terms of work absenteeism groups. * To collect, analyse and describe the responses' pertaining to the level of satisfaction with the nature of the work, management styles and third variables in the work environment, from a representative sample of the research population. * To make findings and recommendations with regards to work satisfaction with boring- and routine work, poor management styles and third variables. The findings of this study could be utilized by Correctional Services and academic interest groups. / Business Management / M.Tech.