Psychosocial Factors Involved in Absenteeism—A Qualitative Analysis in a Brazilian Context

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Work is a\rfundamental activity for human beings not only because it provides the benefit\rof a wage but also because it allows the subject to draw primitive anxieties\rthat are evoked only in the frame of human-work relations. In Brazilian\rcontext, removed workers are often victims of prejudice beyond the organization\rspace, triggering feelings of weakness and uselessness. The absence from work\rmay also jeopardize both physical and mental health. Thus, this study aims to\runderstand the psychosocial factors (social support, affect, coping skills and\rperception of future and health status) involved in absenteeism and the process\rof withdrawing work and its consequences on people’s lives. A qualitative\rapproach was chosen for gathering and analyzing data. Four workers from\rdifferent professional categories participated in this qualitative study. It\rwas observed that stop working brought serious implications for the lives of\rinvestigated subjects, who reported feelings of estrangement, fear, emptiness,\rdepression, helplessness and dependence. The most frequent difficulties in\rrelation to absenteeism refer to the part of the tie break of social and\rfinancial issues. The main strategy for dealing with problems arising from job\rwithdraws was to seek social support from friends and family. Regarding plans\rand the prospective, they experienced a critical period (immobilization),\rrequiring a process of (re)adapting to the new situation ahead. Given the\rabove, it is noteworthy to understand that the consequences of absenteeism or\rtemporary withdrawing of labor become a necessary measure to preserve physical\rand mental health; a task open to interventions of work and organizational psychology.\r\rKeywords: Absence from Work, Psychosocial Factors, Absenteeism, Work, Qualitative Analysis