Job Performance and Absenteeism: A Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The relationship between individual employee performance and absenteeism was examined using data from 46 articles. Meta-analyses (cf. Hunter & Schmidt, 1990) revealed a modest but significant tendency for frequently absent employees to be poor performers on many rating and non-rating indices. Importantly though, the associated credibility intervals were wide, and statistical artifacts did not account for all the variance among the studies. Several alternative theoretical mechanisms were identified, e.g., supervisor annoyance with frequent absences, employee disposition toward delinquency, progressive withdrawal, and stress coping, that could account for the remaining variation.