Short-term Sick Leave is a Big Deal - Determinants of Sick Leave in Retail

Abstract

Introduction: Previous research has looked at the social gradient on taking sick leave. It was suggested that short-term sick leave is caused by various social factors that are not necessarily connected to poor health. However, there is a research gap when it comes to examining the determinants of calling in sick among retail employees. The aim of this research is to explore the determinants of taking short-term sick leave among retail employees in Sweden using a quantitatively-driven mixed method approach. In this study, various psychosocial aspects concerning the organizational and social work environment and their effect on employee sick leave quantity are investigated. It also examines whether COVID-19 pandemic, as a crisis event, has changed front-line retail employees’ health attitudes which could challenge organizational determinants of sick leave. Theory: Psychosocial theory (Montano, 2020) and Job Demand Control Support Model by Karasek & Theorell (1990) aim to explain different psychosocial and organizational factors that could affect the occurrence and length of sick leave. Becker's (1974) Health Belief Model (HBM) is a theoretical framework for understanding health behaviors and predicting health-related outcomes linking attitudes and behaviors (Becker, 1974). 1 Method: This thesis used a case study approach to the empirical data collection. The case concerned eleven stores from a retail company located in Sweden. A sequential quantitatively driven mixed method design with a principal quantitative survey and supplementary qualitative semi-structured interviews was conducted. The semi-structured interviews were conducted as preliminary research and were used to inform the content of the survey and to provide complementary data. The preliminary results from the interviews were analyzed using thematic coding. The survey was used as the data collection for quantitative analysis. Statistical tests and bivariate analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: From the qualitative research 5 themes emerged concerning the fast-paced and high demanding workload, well-functioned social support and problem-causing nature of sick leave. In addition, managers reported high levels of responsibility and autonomy. From the quantitative analysis, psychosocial factors were found to mitigate job strain factors of sick leave. Commitment and age have the significant explanatory power of short-term sick leave in retail. COVID-19 pandemic has changed front-line retail employees' attitudes concerning their health and infecting others. Changed attitudes’ relation to sick leave variance can be explored further.