Revisiting presenteeism to broaden its conceptualization: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Presenteeism is generally viewed as a symptom of organizational or individual dysfunction and is rarely considered as a behavioral response to positive triggering factors. Our study examines this issue in small enterprises (SEs), which are an unexplored environment in terms of presenteeism. OBJECTIVE: Through in-depth analysis, this study aims to understand the positive and negative factors that impact presenteeism in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on SEs. METHODS: We adopt a qualitative methodological approach in which we conducted 17 semi-structured interviews with employees and owner-managers of SEs with between 20 and 49 employees. RESULTS: Our thematic analysis shows that presenteeism can be explained by factors related to pressure to attend work, by individuals' constraints and commitment, by organizational and individual characteristics and by a congenial work environment. Presenteeism can also be a type of "therapy" which helps individuals to avoid focusing on being sick and enables them to stay active and avoid social isolation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study differs from earlier research by providing a more in-depth analysis of the positive and negative factors that trigger presenteeism. This article will help to expand the current theoretical knowledge about presenteeism and encourage a more holistic interpretation of the phenomenon.

Presenteeism in small and medium-sized enterprises: Determinants and impacts on health.

BACKGROUND: Small and medium sized enterprises are yet uncharted territory in terms of presenteeism. In addition, the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) and Siegrist's Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models are proposed to predict stress-related health problems, but not for sickness behaviors such as presenteeism. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the relationships between psychosocial risk factors, presenteeism, mental and physical health in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study also examines the moderating effect of company size on these associations. METHODS: To test the association between psychosocial risks, presenteeism, and health, only people working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of between 2 and 199 employees were included in the sample, giving a total of 2,525 SME employees surveyed. To test the differences in exposure to psychosocial risk and presenteeism, and the moderating impact of size on the relationship between psychosocial risks, presenteeism, and health, we took the original sample (4608) of the EQCOTESST. RESULTS: The results confirm the associations between job demands, social support and effort-reward imbalance, and presenteeism. Also, the associations between presenteeism and health problems in SMEs' context. Multi-group analyses show that the business's size does not moderate the strength of the relationships between psychosocial risks, presenteeism and health. CONCLUSION: The current study highlights that SMEs are somehow protected from certain psychosocial constraints such as high job demands, and low social support, but are more exposed to others such as effort-reward imbalance.

Organizational constraints as root causes of role conflict.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the difficulties encountered in the hybrid roles of physician-managers (P-Ms), examine the impact of organizational constraints on the role conflicts experienced by P-Ms and explore the different ways their two roles are integrated. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A qualitative approach was adopted, using six focus groups made up of clinical co-managers, medical directors and P-Ms. In all, 43 different people were interviewed to obtain their perceptions of the day-to-day realities of the role of the P-M. The data collected were subsequently validated. FINDINGS: Although the expectations of the different groups involved regarding the role of P-Ms are well understood and shared, there are significant organizational constraints affecting what P-Ms are able to do in their day-to-day activities, and these constraints can result in role conflicts for the people involved. Such constraints also affect the ways P-Ms integrate the two roles. The authors identify three role hybridization profiles. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results afford a better understanding of how organizational constraints might be used as levers of organizational change to achieve a better hybridization of the dual roles of P-Ms. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This paper seeks to reach beyond a simple identification of constraints affecting the dual roles of P-Ms by analyzing how such constraints impact on these professionals' day-to-day activities. Results also enable us to further refine Katz and Kahn's (1966) role model, in addition to identifying hybridization profiles.

Psychosocial risks, burnout and intention to quit following the introduction of new software at work.

BACKGROUND: Despite a rich literature on association between psychosocial factors, the demand-control-support (DCS) model and burnout, there are few integrated frameworks encompassing the DCS model, burnout and intention to quit, particularly in a technological context. OBJECTIVE: This manuscript examines the relationships between psychosocial risks, the demand-control-support (DCS) model, burnout syndrome and intention to quit following the introduction of new software at work. METHODS: Data was collected from agents and advisors working at a Canadian university and using newstudy management software. An online questionnaire was sent via the university's internal mail. Finally, 112 people completed the online survey for a response rate of 60.9% . RESULTS: The results of structural equation modeling show that psychological demands, decision latitude and social support are associated with burnout. It is also clear that burnout, in particular depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, is positively associated with intention to quit. CONCLUSIONS: The few studies that raise the negative consequences of technology on quality of life in the workplace, and particularly on health, have not succeeded in establishing a direct link between a deterioration of health and the use of technology. This is due to the fact that there are few epidemiological studies on the direct consequences of the use of ITC on health.