The master's thesis aims to explore the relationship between sickness absenteeism and employee work engagement in nursing homes for elderly residents. The topic was chosen due to the increasing shortage of staff in these institutions, often leading to overburdened remaining personnel, decreased work engagement, and frequent sickness absenteeism. The research was conducted using a questionnaire and interviews, revealing that sickness absenteeism occurred in 63,43% of respondents over the past 12 months, most frequently among those aged 31 to 40. The longest average sickness absenteeism was among respondents in Nursing Home A (25,10 days) and the shortest in Nursing Home C (8,75 days). Work engagement was rated with an average score of 4,03; highest in Nursing Home D (4,18) and lowest in Nursing Home A (3,86).
The study found no statistically significant correlation between sickness absenteeism and employee engagement, although a negative correlation suggests less sickness absenteeism among more engaged employees. Statistically significant findings indicate that sickness absenteeism occurs less frequently among employees with higher levels of vigour at work; that the more engaged employees reintegrate faster after temporary absence, and that there exists variation in sickness absenteeism frequency among different age groups of respondents.
The theoretical framework of the master's thesis enhances understanding of the topic, while the conducted research can serve as a foundation for further studies. The thesis outlines research limitations, suggests further research directions, and proposes measures to reduce health-related absenteeism and promote employee engagement, which can serve as guidance for organizations in both the public and private sectors.
|
