The role of self-efficacy and job satisfaction on absences from work

Introduction: Absenteeism is a relevant and costly issue for organizations, constantly looking at its antecedents in order to reduce the phenomenon. Objective: This study aims to deepen the concurrent role - that has been rarely investigated in predicting absence - of self-efficacy and job satisfaction, testing both a direct as well as an indirect relation. Method: Self-efficacy and job satisfaction were measured in a sample of 1160 white-collars from the main Italian delivery company, a privatized organization. Then, the self-report questionnaire was matched with objective data on absences (i.e.; the total days lost at work over 12 months). Results: The results of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) lent support to the indirect relation between self-efficacy and absences from work via job satisfaction, but not to the direct link. Conclusion: These findings show that training in self-efficacy can lead to higher job satisfaction and therefore to greater work attendance. © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS.