Is Work Group Social Capital Associated With Sickness Absence? A Study of Workplace Registered Sickness Absence at the Work Group Level

The Predictive Validity of the Danish Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire With Regard to Onset of Depressive Disorders and Long-Term Sickness Absence

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the predictive validity of 32 measures of the Danish Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire (DPQ) against two criteria variables: onset of depressive disorders and long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

METHODS

The DPQ was sent to 8958 employed individuals in 14 job groups of which 4340 responded (response rate: 48.4%). Depressive disorders were measured by self-report with a 6-month follow-up. LTSA was measured with a 1-year follow-up in a national register. We analyzed onset of depressive disorders at follow-up using logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and job group, while excluding respondents with depressive disorders at baseline. We analyzed onset of LTSA with Cox regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and job group, while excluding respondents with previous LTSA.

RESULTS

The general pattern of the results followed our hypotheses as high job demands, poorly organized working conditions, poor relations to colleagues and superiors, and negative reactions to the work situation predicted onset of depressive disorders at follow-up and onset of LTSA during follow-up. Analyzing onset of depressive disorders and onset of LTSA, we found risk estimates that deviated from unity in most of the investigated associations. Overall, we found higher risk estimates when analyzing onset of depressive disorders compared with onset of LTSA.

CONCLUSIONS

The analyses provide support for the predictive validity of most DPQ-measures. Results suggest that the DPQ constitutes a useful tool for identifying risk factors for depression and LTSA in the psychosocial work environment.

Sickness absence from work in the footwear industry: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND: Studies on illness in the footwear industry have prioritized specific work sectors and diseases. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the main factors related to sickness absence and the indicators of illness in terms of recurrence and workdays lost among workers at a footwear company, ranging from storage of raw material to distribution of the final product. METHODS: A total of 9072 cases of absence from work were investigated in shoe production units from 2014 to 2017. Univariate models estimated the risk of bodily dysfunction (physiological and psychological) and the severity of recurrence and work days lost. RESULTS: (1) Most production units and work sectors were related to one or more affected bodily functions; (2) Neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions and the work sectors of prefabrication; cutting, assembly and finishing; and quality inspection of the final product required a longer recovery time before return to work and had a greater recurrence of leave; and (3) Women seemed to be more affected than men in terms of the reappearance of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Illness differs according to occupational sectors. The production sectors present more serious situations due to physical overload, intense rhythm and concentration, monotony and low autonomy.

Effect of Psychological Distress on the Association of Workplace Social Capital with Presenteeism and Sickness Absence

Greater workplace social capital (WSC) can be related to workers' health and productivity. We sought to clarify the association between horizontal WSC and presenteeism and sickness absence (SA) and to examine the effects of psychological distress on these associations among Japanese workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 at seven large Japanese companies. Logistic regression analysis was performed with presenteeism and SA as the dependent variables, horizontal WSC as an independent variable, and sociodemographic characteristics and psychological distress as covariates. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, the results showed that greater horizontal WSC was associated with lower presenteeism and SA. The odds ratios for the relationship between horizontal WSC and presenteeism and that between horizontal WSC and SA dropped moderately after adjustment for psychological distress but remained significant. Further exploration of the factors underlying the relationship between WSC and productivity is needed to confirm if WSC enhances workers' health and productivity and to inform the development of effective occupational health initiatives.

The connection between leader behaviour and employee sickness absence in public administration

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to find the connection between leader behaviour and employee sickness absence in public administration.

Design/methodology/approach

The research data was collected with the help of an online questionnaire. The SPSS statistical programme and structural equation modelling in AMOS were used to analyse the data.

Findings

The research was conducted in public administration institutions, and 3,220 employees from public administration were included in the research sample. The author found a negative one-way relationship between certain types of behaviour and sickness absence. The author defines leader behaviour as a multidimensional construct in which each dimension represents a separate cluster of leader behavioural characteristics. Leaders’ “progressiveness” is the most important dimension, and a one-point increase in “progressiveness” (five-point scale) leads to a reduction of 2.8 days in sickness absence for one employee.

Research limitations/implications

The author focused only on one segment of factors (the behaviour of leaders) that affects sickness absence. To explain the maximum possible measure of the variability in sickness absence, it would be best to include several different influencing factors.

Practical implications

The study represents a structured model of the link between sickness absence and leader behaviour. With the model, it is possible to determine which behavioural forms of leaders influence sickness absence, where leader behaviour is treated as a complex whole, and not as an individual behavioural characteristic.

Originality/value

The study addresses calls for research on the relationship between leader behaviour and employee sickness absence within countries.