The conundrum of absenteeism in the Canadian public service: A wicked problem perspective

Abstract

Absenteeism has received increasing attention in public sectors across the world. In Canada's federal public service, absenteeism cost the government approximately $871 million in lost wages in 2013 alone (Barkel 2014a). Current and previous Canadian governments have attempted to reform sick-leave policy to reduce absenteeism, but simple solutions to a complex problem will likely result in negative and unforeseen consequences. This article conceptualizes absenteeism as a "wicked problem" to explore its complexity. Addressing absenteeism requires a deeper understanding of issues and factors by government representatives, unions, NGOs, and policy experts, which can lead to multifaceted solutions.Sommaire : L'absent eisme a fait l'objet d'une attention croissante dans les secteurs publics du monde entier. Dans la fonction publique f ed erale canadienne, l'absent eisme a coût e au gouvernement environ 871 millions $ en salaires perdus en 2013 seulement (Barkel 2014a). Les gouvernements canadiens actuels et pr ec edents ont tent e de r eformer la politique des cong es de maladie pour r eduire l'absent eisme, mais de simples solutions pour faire face a un problème complexe auront vraisemblablement des cons equences n egatives et impr evues. Cet article conçoit l'absent eisme comme un « problème pernicieux » pour etudier sa complexit e. Pour s'attaquer a l'absent eisme, il faut que les repr esentants gouvernementaux, les syndicats, les ONG et les experts en politique aient une compr ehension plus approfondie des questions et des facteurs en jeu, et cela pourra conduire a des solutions multiformes. Jocelyn McGrandle is a PhD candidate in

Questioning the Stereotype of the “Malingering Bureaucrat”: Absence from Work in the Public and Private Sector in Germany

“…Absence from work (also called absenteeism) is a pervasive and complex phenomenon that may be regarded as a “wicked problem” (McGrandle and Ohemeng ). In the most general sense, it can be defined as “the failure to report for work as scheduled” (Johns : 7).…”

“…Absence from work is costly to enterprises and society as it is associated with continued wage payments to absent employees, an underutilisation of labour, corresponding productivity losses and reductions in customer satisfaction, increased administrative costs, employee replacement cost, and reductions in workforce morale due to heavier workloads. Concerning the public sector, where governments in many countries try to reduce spending and improve efficiency, it is often stressed that the seemingly excessive absence rates of employees result in additional costs to taxpayers and in adverse effects on the quality of public services (De Paola et al , McGrandle and Ohemeng ).…”

“…1 Although such statements are typically based on purely descriptive empirical evidence and pundits quickly point out that the public and the private sector also differ in many other sickness-relevant aspects such as plant size, occupations, and workforce composition, the stereotype of the "malingering bureaucrat" has become firmly established (Bevan 2016, Oppolzer 1999 Absence from work is costly to enterprises and society as it is associated with continued wage payments to absent employees, an underutilisation of labour, corresponding productivity losses and reductions in customer satisfaction, increased administrative costs, employee replacement cost, and reductions in workforce morale due to heavier workloads. 2 Concerning the public sector, where governments in many countries try to reduce spending and improve efficiency, it is often stressed that the seemingly excessive absence rates of employees result in additional costs to taxpayers and in adverse effects on the quality of public services (De Paola et al 2014, McGrandle andOhemeng 2017). 3 Because of the substantial consequences of absenteeism in all sectors, quite a few studies have tried to quantify the extent of worker absence (see, e.g., the international evidence reported by Barmby et al 2002, Lusinyan and Bonato 2007, Livanos and Zangelidis 2013.…”

“…Because of the substantial consequences of absenteeism in all sectors, quite a few studies have tried to quantify the extent of worker absence (see, e.g., the international evidence reported by Barmby et al , Lusinyan and Bonato , Livanos and Zangelidis ). Several strands of the literature have provided explanations and theoretical analyses of work absence and its determinants from various perspectives (McGrandle and Ohemeng provide a brief classification of approaches). Economists have analysed absenteeism either within the framework of the static neoclassical labour supply model as the result of an individual's labour‐leisure choice, or they have made use of efficiency wage and contractual models (see Brown and Sessions or Treble and Barmby for reviews of this literature).…”

Questioning the Stereotype of the 'Malingering Bureaucrat': Absence from Work in the Public and Private Sector in Germany

“…Absence from work is costly to enterprises and society as it is associated with continued wage payments to absent employees, an underutilisation of labour, corresponding productivity losses and reductions in customer satisfaction, increased administrative costs, employee replacement cost, and reductions in workforce morale due to heavier workloads. 2 Concerning the public sector, where governments in many countries try to reduce spending and improve efficiency, it is often stressed that the seemingly excessive absence rates of employees result in additional costs to taxpayers and in adverse effects on the quality of public services (De Paola et al 2014, McGrandle andOhemeng 2017). 3 Because of the substantial consequences of absenteeism in all sectors, quite a few studies have tried to quantify the extent of worker absence (see, e.g., the international evidence reported by Barmby et al 2002, Lusinyan and Bonato 2007, Livanos and Zangelidis 2013.…”