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When Preventing Absenteeism Fuels Long‐Sickness Leave: The Case of a Leading Operator for Local Transport Services

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  • Philippe Askenazy
  • Damien Cartron

Abstract

We examine the strategy to reduce sickness absences of transit drivers in one of the leading Multinational Operators for Local Transport Services in France. Absenteeism dramatically rose as a result of this strategy. Using observations and interviews at the corporate and field levels, and company data, we disentangle the mechanisms that led to this failure. In a context of strong constraints especially from local communities, the strategy based on underlining the costs of absences pushed local units to change their management practices. They focused on chasing short absences, promoted presenteeism and intensified pressure on workers rather than boosting prevention. Eventually, long‐duration sickness leaves massively expanded.

Suggested Citation

  • Philippe Askenazy & Damien Cartron, 2020. "When Preventing Absenteeism Fuels Long‐Sickness Leave: The Case of a Leading Operator for Local Transport Services," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(1), pages 199-223, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:58:y:2020:i:1:p:199-223
    DOI: 10.1111/bjir.12495
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marina Taloyan & Gunnar Aronsson & Constanze Leineweber & Linda Magnusson Hanson & Kristina Alexanderson & Hugo Westerlund, 2012. "Sickness Presenteeism Predicts Suboptimal Self-Rated Health and Sickness Absence: A Nationally Representative Study of the Swedish Working Population," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-8, September.
    2. Petri Böckerman & Edvard Johansson & Antti Kauhanen, 2012. "Innovative work practices and sickness absence: what does a nationally representative employee survey tell?," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 21(3), pages 587-613, June.
    3. Melvyn Coles & Joseph Lanfranchi & Ali Skalli & John Treble, 2007. "Pay, Technology, And The Cost Of Worker Absence," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 45(2), pages 268-285, April.
    4. Guy Bellemare, 2000. "End Users: Actors in the Industrial Relations System?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 38(3), pages 383-405, September.
    5. Marsden, David (ed.), 2011. "Employment in the Lean Years: Policy and Prospects for the Next Decade," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199605446.
    6. Ziebarth, Nicolas R., 2013. "Long-term absenteeism and moral hazard—Evidence from a natural experiment," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 277-292.
    7. Skagen, Kristian & Collins, Alison M., 2016. "The consequences of sickness presenteeism on health and wellbeing over time: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 169-177.
    8. Sébastien Damart & Frédéric Kletz, 2016. "When the management of nurse absenteeism becomes a cause of absenteeism: a study based on a comparison of two health care facilities," Post-Print hal-01277576, HAL.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gail Kinman & Andrew J. Clements, 2022. "Sickness Presenteeism in Prison Officers: Risk Factors and Implications for Wellbeing and Productivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-10, March.

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