ABSENTEEISM

DEFINITION

Absenteeism has been recognized as a vital issue affecting discipline and

production in the organized industry today. It is a major socio – psychological
problem in industries. Absenteeism in Indian industry is not a new phenomenon.
The Royal Commission of Labour reported, “High absenteeism prevails among
industrial labours mainly due to their rural orientation”. Absenteeism is a serious
problem for a management because it seriously involves heavy expenditure and
loss of production. The main objective of organization is to maximize profit by
maximum utilization of men, materials and money. When there is a problem of
absenteeism, the three above said sources are not fairly utilized.
Absenteeism is one of the common factors, which affects both the
production, and the growth of the organization. No company can afford to allow
high incidence of absenteeism to eat up its hard-earned corporate profits. In
general, the absent rate indicates the relative cost to a given company because
productions workers simply cannot produce as much annually when absent rates
are high as they can when absent rates are low. When the employees are away
from the work, it is difficult for the employer is to maintain production schedule.
Reduction of absenteeism is beneficial not only to the industry but also to
the nation as a whole. The treatment of dismissal by the employer would never
ultimately help to reduce absenteeism
Labour force is an integral and important component of the wealth of
nations, as other factors like land, capital, and machine. Measured by what labour
contributes to output, productive capacity of human beings is now vastly larger
than all other forms of wealth taken together which has chiefly contributed to
economic growth of countries.

Absenteeism in Indian organization is not a new phenomenon. The royal

commission of labour observed, “High absenteeism prevails among industrial
labour mainly due to their rural orientation.”
Absenteeism is one of the common factors, which affects the growth of the
organization. When the absenteeism control programmes are introduced to the
absentees continues to reduce corporate profit severely.

If the person employed is absent for few days then the management have to take
severe action regarding this problem. Therefore, management has to go for
recruitment of suitable employees.
Substitute worker and such workers are to be well trained, because of this,
management are to insure expenditure on it. Evaluation of absenteeism rate is a
yardstick with which we can measure the worker’s job interest and their
commitment.

ABSENTEEISM – AN OVERVIEW

It signifies the absence of employee from work when he is schedule to be at work.

Any employee may stay away from work if he has taken leave to which he is
entitled, on sickness or some accident, or without any previous sanction of leave.
Thus, absence may be authorized on unauthorized, willful or by circumstances
beyond one’s control.

It has been observed that the phenomenon of absenteeism does not exist only in
Indian Industry. It may differ according to the make – up of the workforce. Worker
needs the monetary benefits for his services.

The attitude and practice of the management also contribute towards the
absenteeism.

Advantages

􀂾Providing safety and accident prevention

􀂾Providing reasonable wages and allowances to the workers

􀂾Provision of healthful and hygienic working conditions.

Disadvantages

􀂾Inadequate leave facilities are avoided

􀂾Improper and unrealistic personal policies are avoided

CAUSES OF ABSENTEEISM

1. Maladjustment with factory conditions

As a worker want to live in the city, urban life becomes distasteful to him because
of unsanitary conditions prevailing there. He is under constant strain, which causes
him serious distress and inefficiency. He is subject to strict discipline and is
ordered by the strangers to do the things, which he cannot understand.

2. Social and religious ceremonies

Social and religious functions divert workers from work to social activities. In a
large number of the proportion of absenteeism due to sickness, accident is not as
high as it is due to other causes including social and religious causes.

3. Unsatisfactory housing conditions

The workers who some to find that they are not wanted and they swell the number
of causal workers. Health conditions are naturally bad, leading to consequent ill –
health.

4. Industrial fatigue:

Low wages compel workers to seek some part time job to earn some side income.
However, this often results in constant work which compels him to remain absent
for the next day and if it affects him seriously, his absence may continues for quite
sometime i.e., the very next day.

5. Unhealthy working conditions: 14

Irritating and intolerable working conditions exist in factories. Heat and moisture,
noise and vibrations in the factory, bad lighting conditions.
6. Absence of adequate welfare facilities:

The national commission observes, the statutory welfare amenities have not been
adequately provided.

Washing and bathing facilities, first aid, drinking water, canteens, shelters, rest
rooms that strengthen the general impression that compliance with statutory
welfare provisions is inadequate.

7. Alcoholism

The habit of alcoholism among workers may cause of absenteeism, which is high
in the first week when workers receive their wages. Hangover the next day leads to
absenteeism.

8. Indebtedness

This is the general case in India that workers are always worried about financial
matters. Such workers absent themselves or even resign to escape their
moneylender of as a result absenteeism is high.

9. Improve and Unrealistic personnel policies

The unskilled, untrained and inexperienced workers are failing to cope with and
adapt themselves to their jobs of industrial environment. Low productivity and
unfavorable employers-employee relationship may leads to a long period of
absenteeism.

10. Inadequate leave facilities

Negligence on the part of employee to provide adequate leave facilities complex
the workers back on E.S.I leave. Under E.S.I Scheme, they are entitled to take
leave in a year on half pay.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 􀂙To find out the level of absenteeism among the workers in the
organization.

􀂙To find out the various causes for absenteeism and rate of absenteeism.

􀂙To suggest the remedial measures to control the absenteeism rate.

􀂙To determine the difficulties faced by the workers the shift time.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Every company should have an attendance policy. It allows a manager to

intervene with an employee who is frequently absent.

An employee are allowed to take up to 90 days of unpaid leave under the

federal family and medical leave act [FMLA] MLA can be used for your own
serious health concerns.

If you confront an employee about his / her frequent absenteeism and they
inform you it is due to personal problems, consider referring the employee to an
Employee Assistance Program [EAP].
Management styles are too authoritarian tend to promote high levels of
absenteeism among employees. In other words, the yell too much, blame others
words for problems and make others feel that it must be their way / the highway.
Authoritarian managers tend to produce high absenteeism rates.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

􀂾Due to personal inconvenience the researcher could not meet the

employees who had night shift

􀂾Respondents were reluctant and were suspicious in responding to the

questions.

􀂾Accuracy is also another problem, as data from sample may not reveal
the fact.

􀂾When the numbers of questions are more, the respondents are not ready
to send their time to answer the questions.
 􀂾The respondent’s opinion can be biased.

􀂾There may be errors due to the bias of the respondent

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Name :

2. Age :
a) 21 to 30yrs b) 31 to 40 yrs c) 41to 50 yrs d) Above 50yrs

3. Marital Status :
a) Married b) Unmarried

4. Departments :
a) Cane b) Engineering c) Manufacturing d) Distillery

5. Number of members in the family

a) Three b) Four c) Five d) Above five

6. Number of working members in the family

a) One b) Two c) Above two

7. Monthly Income
a) BELOW 7000 b) 7000-10000 c) 10000-13000
d) 13000-16000 e) Above 16000

8. Experience
a) Below 5 years b) 5-10 years c) 10-20 years
d) Above 20 years
9. Are you satisfied with the mode of transport / conveyance?
a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

10. What is your opinion about timings?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied 86
11. How often do you take leave without giving information?
a) Always b) Never c) Sometimes

12. What is your opinion regarding the pay?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

13. What is your opinion regarding welfare facilities?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

14. Are you satisfied with the working condition?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

15. How do you feel about the relationship with supervisor?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

16. What is your opinion about relationship with co – workers?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

17. Are you satisfied towards grievance handling procedure?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

18. What is you opinion regarding the satisfaction of job?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

19. Are you satisfied with leave facility?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied 87
20. What is your opinion regarding recruitment procedure?
a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

21. Are you satisfied with the general opinion of the company?
a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

22. What is your opinion regarding allowances given by the company?

a) Highly satisfied b) Satisfied c) Neutral
d) Dissatisfied e) Highly dissatisfied

23. Did you satisfied with the present working conditions?

a) Yes b) No

24. Whether you need any extra health and hygienic benefits?
a) Yes b) No

25. Do you need any improvements in the working conditions?

a) Yes b) No

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Introduction:
Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. The advanced
learner’s dictionary of current English lays down the meaning of research as “a
careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in any
branch of knowledge.

Research:

Redman and Mory define, research as a “Systematized effort to gain knowledge”.

Research Methodology:

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It

may be understood. As a science of studying how research is done scientifically.

Research Design:

A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of

data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purposes with
economy in procedure. In this study, descriptive research has been used.

Source of data:

1. Primary data

2. Secondary data

Primary Data:

The primary data are those which are collected afresh & for the first time and this
happen to be original in character. Methods used for collecting primary data are:

1. Questionnaire and

2. Personal interview

Secondary Data:

Secondary data are those, which have already been collected by some one, and
which has undergone statistical process. Methods used for collecting secondary
data are:

1. Books.
 2. Company’s past records and form experienced persons.

3. Website

Sample size:

Selection of few items from the population is called as sample. Sampling was used
for selecting from the total population 150 employees were taken for the study.

Sampling Technique:

In this study convenience, sampling technique was used. In this method sample
were collected based on the convenience of both the researches and the respondent.

Tools for analysis:

The tools used for analysis of the collected data are:

􀂾Simple percentage

􀂾Chi – Square test

Simple Percentage: This method is used to simplify the numbers by percentage.

The data are reduced in a standard form with base equal to 150, which facilitates
relative comparison.

Chi – Square test:

This is a statistical measure used in the context of sampling analysis. Comparing a

variance to a theoretical variance. This can be calculated by using formula.
Σ(O-E) 2
χ2 =
E

Where,

E=

Where,

O = Observed frequency
E = Expected frequency

RT = Row Total

CT = Column Total

N = Total number of observation

By using 5% level of significance and degree of freedom is to be calculated by the

formula (R-1) x (C-1)

Where,

R = Number of rows

C = Number of columns ,It the calculated value is less than table value the null
hypothesis is accepted or else rejected.