Job Satisfaction: "go to Work or Report Sick?"

Job Satisfaction:

"Go to work or report sick?"

Identification

Kariann Krohne, Professor of Health Sciences at Oslo University College (Oslo, Norway) and Liv Heide Magnussen, who teaches at Uni-Health (Bergen, Norway), as well as serving on the board of the Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care at University of Bergen (Norway), collaborated on this research article resulting in a suggestion for outlining the role of Job Satisfaction upon presenteeism.

Dr. Krohne conceived of the study and developed its methodology. She took part in the collection of data, while both she and Dr. Magnussen analyzed the data. Both authors drafted the manuscript, reviewed and edited drafts of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript, stating that there was no conflicting agenda for their research.

Summary

"Company policy and workplace settings may play important roles when employees make decisions regarding calling in sick. An offshore company experienced that support from co-workers and supervisors facilitated a better work environment which in turn led to a decline in sick leave, suggesting that attitudes among superiors and fellow workers may prevent absence. The employee's perception of organizational justice is another factor that may play a key role in protecting and enhancing employee well-being and presenteeism. Lawson and co-workers found that work-based social support and job demands were closely linked to both psychological health and job satisfaction. An individual's beliefs and expectations may also influence their decision regarding turning up to work ill. If the individual has experienced that going to work when ill did not have a negative health effect, this may lead to a positive expectation and accordingly influence the decision. This is in accordance with the Cognitive Activation Theory of Stress (CATS). It is evident that some of the factors identified here results from, and are even strengthened by, specific offshore working conditions. However, apart from the importance of location, the transferability of factors to other occupational groups is demonstrated in other studies.

This study offers the offshore employees' perspective on the complexity of decisions regarding sickness presenteeism. The findings show that offshore working conditions may promote sickness presenteeism. The participants' experience of a healthy and supportive work environment contributed to this outcome." (Krohme, pg 7)

Critique

In short, Dr.'s Krohme and Magnussen have developed a strong case for the importance of job satisfaction in the maintaining a high level of presenteeism among the individuals involved in their case study. Several factors play into the employee's