The Effects of Monetary Incentives on Planned and Unplanned Absences in Adolescent Part-Time Employees: a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Abstract

Few attendance interventions have (a) addressed the issue of absenteeism as it applies to part-time adolescent employees, (b) distinguished between planned and unplanned absences, and (c) presented a cost-effectiveness analysis of the intervention. This study employed an A-B-A reversal design, including a small monetary bonus for attendance by part-time adolescent employees. Results indicate a 60% reduction in average group absences during the monetary contingency phase as compared to both baseline phases. The organization spent a total of $264 on monetary incentives during the intervention phase and reduced time spent on hiring and training substitute personnel by approximately 60%. Supervisors reported that a better staff-child ratio helped decrease chaos in the classroom and promoted an overall improvement in the quality of the youth groups.