A research report submitted to The Faculty of Management University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management / Research in America shows that the traditional lifestyles (poor diet, lack of exercise, chronic illness, poor stress management and substance abuse) play a large role in causing the major dreaded diseases like cancer, coronary heart disease and strokes, and impact negatively on absenteeism. Traditional lifestyles and absenteeism (absent without permission and sick leave) of 126 employees were measured in a manufacturing plant, and the results correlated by using the Spearman's Rank Order Correlation Co-efficient and co- efficient of determination. It was established that the traditional lifestyle behaviours do impact on absenteeism i.e. the more severe the lifestyle and the unhealthier lifestyle practised, the higher the individual absenteeism is likely to be. There was no correlation between age and absenteeism and job grade and absenteeism. Before applying the traditional absentee reducing interventions, an organisation should measure lifestyles of their employees and if unhealthy, lifestyle change interventions should be introduced before or concurrently with traditional absentee reducing interventions if days absent are mainly due to sick leave. / AC2017

Text in Afrikaans / A national databank of skills for the South African labour market becomes a necessity when manpower management acquires a strategic perspective. It provides a base from which an enterprise can determine necessary training and development of human resources to achieve its strategy. The necessity for a national training and development strategy is addressed; and a proposed strategy is recommended. To develope a databank of skills existing manpower needs for achieving national goals and existing manpower supply will have to be ascertained. This will indicate what skills must be acquired through the manpower management function. From the inquiry into construction and industrial industries, it appears that the need exists for a national skills databank. The need for general guidance in the field of manpower planning is also clearly visible. Strategic manpower management and planning also appears to be a very real item in the present business and political arena. / 'n Nasionale databank van vaardighede vir die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark word 'n noodsaaklikheid wanneer mannekragbestuur 'n strategiese perspektief kry. Dit verskaf 'n basis waarvandaan ondernemings kan bepaal watter opleiding en ontwikkeling vir mens like hulpbronne vereis word ten einde die ondernemingstrategie te kan bereik. Die noodsaaklikheid van 'n nasionale opleidings- en ontwikkelingstrategie is aangespreek, asook 'n voorstel vir 'n strategie gemotiveer. Deur 'n databank van vaardighede te ontwikkel, sal bepaal moet word watter mannekragbehoeftes bestaan om nasionale doelwitte te bereik asook watter mannekragaanbod bestaan. Di t sal aandui watter vaardighede verkry moet word deur middel van die mannekragbestuursfunksie. Uit die ondersoek waarin konstruksie en nywerheidsondernemings deelgeneem het, blyk di t dat 'n behoefte aan 'n nasionale databank van vaardighede bestaan. 'n Behoefte na algemene leiding op mannekragbeplanningsgebied kom oak duidelik na vore. Strategiese mannekragbestuur en -beplanning blyk oak 'n baie aktuele onderwerp in die huidige sake en politieke arena te wees. / M.Com (Business Economics)

Text in Afrikaans / A national databank of skills for the South African labour market becomes a necessity when manpower management acquires a strategic perspective. It provides a base from which an enterprise can determine necessary training and development of human resources to achieve its strategy. The necessity for a national training and development strategy is addressed; and a proposed strategy is recommended. To develope a databank of skills existing manpower needs for achieving national goals and existing manpower supply will have to be ascertained. This will indicate what skills must be acquired through the manpower management function. From the inquiry into construction and industrial industries, it appears that the need exists for a national skills databank. The need for general guidance in the field of manpower planning is also clearly visible. Strategic manpower management and planning also appears to be a very real item in the present business and political arena. / 'n Nasionale databank van vaardighede vir die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark word 'n noodsaaklikheid wanneer mannekragbestuur 'n strategiese perspektief kry. Dit verskaf 'n basis waarvandaan ondernemings kan bepaal watter opleiding en ontwikkeling vir mens like hulpbronne vereis word ten einde die ondernemingstrategie te kan bereik. Die noodsaaklikheid van 'n nasionale opleidings- en ontwikkelingstrategie is aangespreek, asook 'n voorstel vir 'n strategie gemotiveer. Deur 'n databank van vaardighede te ontwikkel, sal bepaal moet word watter mannekragbehoeftes bestaan om nasionale doelwitte te bereik asook watter mannekragaanbod bestaan. Di t sal aandui watter vaardighede verkry moet word deur middel van die mannekragbestuursfunksie. Uit die ondersoek waarin konstruksie en nywerheidsondernemings deelgeneem het, blyk di t dat 'n behoefte aan 'n nasionale databank van vaardighede bestaan. 'n Behoefte na algemene leiding op mannekragbeplanningsgebied kom oak duidelik na vore. Strategiese mannekragbestuur en -beplanning blyk oak 'n baie aktuele onderwerp in die huidige sake en politieke arena te wees. / M.Com (Business Economics)

The main research problem in this study centred around the assessment of the impact of an absenteeism monitoring and management system at Willard Batteries. The main research problem had five sub-problems which were addressed through the following actions: A literature study was conducted to identify the causes and impact of absenteeism in the workplace. The researcher also conducted interviews with the Human Resources Manager, line managers and employees at Willard Batteries to obtain their views of the absenteeism management strategies utilised, as well as the effects of absenteeism in their organisation. The insights gained from these interviews were incorporated into the questionnaire. The absenteeism figures of the organisation for the period 2005 to 2008 were analysed and compared against the internationally accepted absenteeism norm of three percent. An absence rate above three percent is considered as unacceptable and would imply that the current absenteeism management system is not effective. The theoretical study also entailed the reviewing of the legal framework within which absenteeism needs to be managed, as well as the literature that deals with strategies for the effective management of absenteeism. These strategies relate to the recording, calculation, analysis, benchmarking and practical management of absenteeism in the workplace. A survey questionnaire was developed to determine the perceptions of managers, supervisors and employees in relation to the impact of absenteeism on the company as well as the extent to which managers and supervisors were utilising selected absenteeism monitoring and management strategies within the company. The results from the empirical study revealed that management and supervisors were more aware of the impact of absenteeism on the organisation than their employees. It can therefore be concluded that employees perceived their absence from work to have little impact on aspects such as employee morale, cost, production and the customer. This could possibly be due to ineffective communication in terms of the cost and other consequences of absenteeism in the organisation. Employees also felt that managers were effective in taking the necessary disciplinary action with regards to absenteeism-related transgressions, but that they were not diligent in the recording and communication of absence information, as well as comparing absenteeism information inter-departmentally. Absenteeism has proven to be globally pervasive, expensive and extremely disruptive to organisations. Managers and supervisors who employ the various absence monitoring and management strategies, could be more effective in improving employee attendance. Their efforts could be further enhanced if employees are made aware of the negative impact that their absence has on the morale of their fellow employees, the cost to the company, the customer, as well as the achievement of production targets and the quality of outputs.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The subject of absenteeism in human resources management literature has considerably dominated centre stage at a global level. Based on the National Department of Health's 2011 Quarterly Report, absenteeism in the department has for long been claimed to be on the rise. As a result, it has been said to be causing detrimental repercussions on the department's capacity to deliver sufficient health facilities to society as it is constitutionally mandated. It is against the background of these claims that the researcher has been prompted to evaluate the factors causing absenteeism in the National Department of Health and further recommending appropriate remedial measures that can be enforced to minimise and ultimately curb such high rates of absenteeism. The aim of the study is to explore and evaluate the relevant causes of absenteeism in the National Department of Health.

A report on a study project presented to the Department of Social Work School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Masters in Occupational Social Work, March 2017 / Managing absenteeism is one of the most challenging issues that managers have to deal with because it is an issue that affects all businesses regardless of sector, size or age. The aim of the study was to gain an insight and explore the experiences of line managers when it comes to managing absenteeism within the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) focusing on the gaps, challenges, what they encounter or undergo and the dynamics involved when managing and addressing absenteeism within the department. A qualitative research approach using a case study research design will be used to understand the challenges associated with managing absenteeism. The population of the study comprised of managers. Eleven managers from the GDARD were purposively sampled for the study. Data was collected using in-depth; semi-structured interviews to allow the researcher a platform to ask open response questions, when exploring the managers experiences and perceptions about the management of absenteeism. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis by carefully identifying significant themes that emerged from the informants’ experiences and perceptions about management of absenteeism. The findings revealed that managers have negative perceptions and experinces when it comes to the challenges that they have encountered. The study derived recommendations on how to enhance the management of absenteeism within the department. / XL2018

M. Tech. Construction Management / Semi-skilled labourers are group of construction workers that are more prone to risks especially falls from heights, which is the basic motive for this study. Falls from heights could be classified as a safety risk compared to other risks that workers experienced in other economic disciplines. The purpose of this study is to identify the major risks encountered by semi-skilled labourers on construction sites in Gauteng and to make recommendations to mitigate the adverse impacts thereof.

M. Tech. Education / Teacher absenteeism is a threat to the education system and contributes to falling education standard and academic under achievement. Educators contribute to the school's objectives when they are present at school, and teaching learners. The purpose of the study is to come up with strategies and practices that can be used to curb teacher absence.

The study focussed on the effectiveness of control measures for dealing with absenteeism of educators with specific reference to selected schools at Libode District in the Province of the Eastern Cape. It identified the policy framework including rules and regulations relating to the absenteeism of educators. It assessed the effectiveness of control measures which are currently at the disposal of the selected schools and it also investigated the challenges faced by school principals in addressing the challenge of absenteeism of educators in the selected schools. A qualitative research methodology was used in undertaking the study. Purposive sampling was used to select the schools and participants for the study. Participants were comprised of school principals and Education Development Officers. Data was collected through structured and semi-structured interviews. Literature study showed that the management of educator absenteeism is an important aspect of Human Resource Management in schools. Furthermore, the study found that control measures for dealing with absenteeism are not properly applied in many schools and there is no consistency in the manner in which they are utilised by school principals. The study also found that school principals are struggling to manage absenteeism to the extent that some of them are not sure how to deal with educators who abuse leave. The study recommends that school principals should be empowered on leave management through various forms of training which include workshops.

The impact of immigrants on the labour market in the South African context has always been a long standing issue with both government and natives’ fearing for the latter’s displacement effect, pressure on wages and resources. Migrants are blamed for poor labour market conditions of a host country. Literature reviewed from Africa and elsewhere shows that migrants have negative outcomes on the host country’s labour market. For this study an Error Correction Model on time series data from 1980-2006 has been estimated. The study estimated two models that is the unemployment and the wages models. The variables used for estimation are immigration, inflation and the Gross Domestic Product. The study surprisingly found a positive impact of immigrants on wages but the effect on employment was negative and significant. It is important to note here that the calculated impact is only for the documented immigrants the impact the illegal ones is not known.