Respond to 2 peers
My post:
Absenteeism is any failure to report for or remain at work as scheduled, regardless of the reasons. It is a scenario whereby employees fail to follow a schedule that requires them to be at work at a given time. It does not entail vacation, personal leave, jury-duty leave, or other reasons. Absenteeism in the workplace is a common phenomenon, costing the US economy approximately $84 billion annually (Zia-ud-Din, Arif & Shabbir, 2017). Some female employees in the federal government department misuse the leave benefit and claim that family responsibilities interfere with work. The study aims to utilize the MARS model and evaluate the reasons behind absenteeism in the federal government department and how it can be reduced.
MARS is an acronym for individual Motivation, Abilities, Role Perception, and Situational factors. The model elaborates on individual behaviors due to internal and external factors or both influences combined. One of the reasons for absenteeism is unfair compensation for sick leave. Based on the MARS model, this is an internal factor that is supposed to motivate staff working in the federal government department offices. However, when the department fails to compensate some employees for genuine sick leaves, they tend to create free days for themselves. Some staff in this department, especially ladies, take advantage of sick leave whenever they want to deal with personal matters. The department needs to draft policies and procedures regarding work absences to reduce absenteeism due to sick leaves. For example, they can articulate that all staff contact HR by 8 am through a text message or email if they are sick on the day of absence. Medical notes should also be provided on return days at work to ensure genuine sickness is compensated fairly.
Another reason for high absenteeism in federal government offices is substance abuse. One of the critical pillars of the MARS model is individual behaviors and results. When people abuse drugs, they always change their behaviors, which triggers the expected outcome. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted between 2008-2012 in the US, 7% of workers misusing prescription drugs reported a high absenteeism rate. It is not different in the federal government offices as most absentees consume drugs like alcohol, affecting the usual way an individual is supposed to report for duties (Florence et al., 2016). The department should stop punishing members for abusing drugs and help them through rehab to reduce this.
Age is another reason that leads to high absenteeism in federal government offices. The department staff comprises members from all age groups, but the older people are the majority since they are experienced. However, they face the challenge of absenteeism even if most are genuine. Older people face common medical conditions such as back and neck pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and others, making them miss work frequently to seek medication. It can be reduced by establishing a flexible working schedule, such as working from home when seeking medical attention. The senior staff is productive and resourceful to the department, and it's worth leaving them out because of their age.