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. 2024 Dec;97(10):1051-1062.
doi: 10.1007/s00420-024-02108-5. Epub 2024 Nov 15.

Explaining presenteeism behaviour with the theory of planned behaviour - a longitudinal study

Christoph Golz  1 , Miriam Hägerbäumer  2 , Maisa Gerlach  3 , André Meichtry  3 , Gablu Kilcher  4 , Karin Anne Peter  5 , Eva Blozik  4   6
Affiliations

Explaining presenteeism behaviour with the theory of planned behaviour - a longitudinal study

Christoph Golz et al. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: This study uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to explore presenteeism, where individuals work despite being ill. The research seeks to understand how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control are associated with presenteeism behaviours.

Methods: A longitudinal design was employed, involving 2814 employees from 16 companies. Data were collected using a survey on two measurement points, which included validated scales and vignettes to assess attitudes toward presenteeism. The data were analysed using cluster analysis and a linear mixed effects regression to evaluate the TPB model.

Results: Three clusters of attitudes toward presenteeism were identified through cluster analysis. The model explained 27.8% of the variance in the fixed effects and 52.6% in the combined fixed and random effects. The regression model found associations between presenteeism and factors such as quantitative demands, work-privacy conflict, and leadership culture. Attitudes towards presenteeism were a strong predictor, with specific clusters showing differing propensities to work while ill.

Conclusion: The study confirms the suitability of the TPB in explaining presenteeism. It highlights the importance of individual attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in shaping presenteeism. The findings suggest that promoting a health-supportive workplace culture, including open communication about illness, might reduce presenteeism.

Keywords: Attitudes; Longitudinal; Occupational health; Presenteeism; Theory of planned behaviour; Vignettes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The local Swiss Ethics Committee in Bern confirmed that the study did not require a full ethical review and did not fall under the Swiss Federal Law on Human Research (Req-2021-00668). The study was voluntary for all participating companies and employees; all participants were free to stop completing the questionnaire anytime. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
TPB model for presenteeism behaviour
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dendograms of the three applied methods average, complete and ward
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Clustered Observations in the plane spanned by the first two principal components
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Clustered Observations in the space spanned by the first three principal components
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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