Sickness presenteeism as coping behaviour under conditions of high job control

Abstract

Job control – denoting an employee’s decision authority regarding timing, location or method – plays a key role in occupational research and is typically viewed as a positive resource that helps to buffer negative health effects induced by work demands. Moreover, previous research has suggested that higher job control helps to reduce sickness presenteeism of employees – defined as attending work while ill. Conversely, by considering various theoretical approaches (such as the vitamin model and the ‘entreployee’ concept) it is hypothesized that very high levels of job control may increase sickness presence behaviour of employees as a coping strategy aimed at overcoming a perceived threat of productivity loss due to sickness. As a consequence, a u-shaped curvilinear association between job control and sickness presenteeism is expected – especially for vulnerable individuals. Based on survey data collected from a heterogeneous random sample of 532 employees, a curvilinear association between job control and sickness presenteeism is confirmed, which is amplified for individuals with a higher number of days with sickness. It is concluded that an increase in job control at low or moderate levels is associated with reduced sickness presenteeism, whereas very high levels of job control are related to an increased need for sickness presence.