摘要：The scope and nature of absenteeism in the workplace: A South African case study. The objective of the study was to develop quantitative measures for monitoring trends of absenteeism in a company within the meat industry and to assess qualitatively the possible existence of a collective culture of absenteeism within the organisation. The scope and frequency of absenteeism, costs incurred due to absenteeism, and individual absenteeism patterns of 145 employees, were studied over a period of one year. It was found that 2900 planned and 912 unplanned leave workdays that were lost, resulted in direct costs of R895,054.55. Five employees who were absent most often accounted for 18.60% of the unplanned leave taken. The extraordinary levels of absenteeism found in this case study were ascribed to specific employees. Opsomming Die doel van die studie was om kwantitatiewe metings vir die monitering van afwesigheidstendense vir ‘n maatskappy in die vleisbedryf te ontwikkel en om die moontlike bestaan van ‘n kollektiewe afwesigheidskultuur kwalitatief te ondersoek. Die omvang, frekwensie en koste van afwesigheid, asook individuele afwesigheidspatrone, is bestudeer vir 145 werknemers oor ‘n tydperk van een jaar. Daar is bevind dat 2900 beplande en 912 onbeplande verlofwerkdae wat verloor is, die maatskappy R895,054.55 gekos het. Vyf werknemers wat die meeste afwesig was, was verantwoordelik vir 18,60% van die onbeplande verlof geneem. Die uitsonderlike vlakke van afwesigheid in hierdie gevalstudie is toegeskryf aan spesifieke werknemers.
