Causes of absenteeism in the health sector in the Alentejo region and resolution measures

Abstract

Absenteeism in most companies is a current and worrying theme, which brings heavy workload, lack of motivation and dissatisfaction in the workplace and represents additional costs for businesses. In health institutions, while large organizations, absenteeism also requires special attention, because the final product involves health care for humans. To analyze and understand the concept of absenteeism, we performed a study through interviews with managers and employees in a health institution (constituted of hospital and health centres), located in the Alentejo region, in Portugal, to get a better perception of the causes of absenteeism and adopted measures to deal against absenteeism. Absenteeism was analyzed as two distinct components: external absenteeism (prolonged absences) and internal absenteeism (breaks in the workplace). Measures that aim minimizing absenteeism levels existing in the institution were presented.