Absenteeism of factory workers at the Grain Field Chickens Abattoir

Abstract

This research was conducted to assess absenteeism at the Grain Field Chickens broiler abattoir in Reitz. This was assessed through the analyses of absenteeism by contextualizing the different forms of absenteeism according to the literature; determining the contributing factors of absenteeism; determining how absenteeism affects the workplace and determining if strategies exist to assist in reducing absenteeism. The researcher adopted a quantitative research design where questionnaires were distributed. The researcher used Regression Analysis, Kruskall-Wallis analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and Chi-Squared Analysis to analyse the results. The population consisted of 352 factory workers working at the Grain Field Chickens Abattoir. The primary explanatory factor of absenteeism was found to be years of employment, followed by family responsibility. It was found that as the years of employment increase, the rate of absenteeism increases. The average absent days for employees that are employed for less than three years were 8.93 days per year, while employees that are employed for longer than three years were absent on average of 20.39 days per year. It was found that the average absent days for employees with family members in their care were 18.67 days per year, as opposed to 9.16 days per year for employees who do not have a family member in their care. Based on the findings, absenteeism figures should be documented in such a way as to inform managers of any adverse trends that may exist.