Background: This study investigated the association between presenteeism and the perceived availability of social support among hospital doctors in China. Methods: A questionnaire was administered by doctors randomly selected from 13 hospital in Hangzhou China using strati ed sampling. Logit model was used for data analysis. Results: The overall response rate was 88.16%. Among hospital doctors, for each unit increase of the perceived availability of social support, the prevalence of presenteeism was decreased by 8.3% (OR=0.91, P=0.000). In particular, if the doctors perceived availability of appraisal support, belonging support and tangible support as su cient, the act of presenteeism was reduced by 20.2% (OR=0.806, P=0.000) 20.4% (OR=0.803, P=0.000) and 21.0% (OR=0.799, P=0.000) respectively with statistical differences. Conclusion: In China, appraisal support, belonging support and tangible support, compared to other social support, had a stronger negative correlation with presenteeism among hospital doctors. The bene ts of social support in alleviating doctors' presenteeism warrant further investigation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the drivers of absenteeism and gives information of the relationship between absenteeism and personal and organizational characteristics in the Nordic countries.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical assumptions are tested empirically on data from a survey carried out in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. 10.748 employees from randomly selected households participated. Differences were examined using analysis of variance.FindingsAmong the findings are that Danish employees are less absent than employees in Norway, Finland and Sweden. Employees working in the public sector, more specific the municipalities, have a higher level of absence compared to the private sector. According to the personal characteristics, women are more absent than men in all Nordic countries, but the effect of age differs according to the country in question. If the manager however is a woman and the employee likewise, then the level of absence is higher in Denmark, Norway and Finland compared to the other gender constellations.Originality/valueBecause of the lack of international comparative studies of absenteeism in the Nordic countries, this paper brings new and a deeper understanding of the area as a basis of further empirical research and/or management concern.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the determinants of perceived work-related stress among public sector managers. Design/methodology/approach – A general questionnaire-based survey of managers at all managerial levels in Danish organizations concerning the content of their job and the way it is practiced (n=1,500, response rate 72 per cent) are applied. For the purpose of this paper only specific information related to the perception of work stress among public sector managers is analyzed (n=400). Findings – The perception of stress are influenced by factors like gender, managerial level, work load, the influence on own job situation, if they have children living at home as well as the percentage of work-at-home. Research limitations/implications – In a general survey work stress is one among a larger number of issues. This fact may influence the validity of the information – in a positive as well as a negative way. However, the findings point to issues which call for more in-depth analyses. Practical implications – The identified significant determinants influencing the perception of stress point to issues where preventive initiatives can be taken. Social implications – Since work-related stress may cause absence from work it may influence production and the health system. If preventive measures can be taken a positive impact on the economy may be the result. Originality/value – Work-related stress has been studied before. But little focus has been given to the public sector and especially managers. Furthermore, including a variety of potential explanatory determinants such a work-life balance, psycho-social work characteristics, gender and managerial level – as well as the potential interaction between them – give a detailed platform for the analyses.

Performance evaluations of leadership quality and public sector leaders' absenteeismThis paper investigates the effect of performance evaluation of leadership quality on leader sickness absence. While previous research has focused on how evaluation of leadership impacts employee sickness absence, we analyse how superiors' and subordinates' evaluations of leadership quality, as well as leaders' self-evaluations, influence public leaders' own absence. A longitudinal study of 335 Danish municipal leaders, 94 superiors, and 4,449 subordinates are conducted.Findings indicate that superiors' evaluation of leadership quality compared to the leaders' self-evaluation is important for public sector leaders' absenteeism.Furthermore, findings show that leaders who are over-estimators have a higher absence frequency compared to under-estimators.

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