Managerial leadership is associated with self-reported sickness absence and sickness presenteeism among Swedish men and women

Scand J Public Health. 2008 Nov;36(8):803-11. doi: 10.1177/1403494808093329.

Abstract

Aims: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between managerial leadership and self-reported sickness absence/presenteeism among Swedish men and women.

Methods: Five thousand one hundred and forty-one Swedish employees, 56% of the participants in a nationally representative sample of the Swedish working population, were included in this cross-sectional questionnaire study. The leadership dimensions measured were five subscales of a standardized leadership questionnaire (Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness Programme): Integrity, Team integration, Inspirational leadership, Autocratic leadership, and Self-centred leadership. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting for factors in private life, employment category, labour-market sector, working conditions, self-reported general health, and satisfaction with life in general.

Results: Inspirational leadership was associated with a lower rate of short spells of sickness absence (<1 week) for both men and women. Autocratic leadership was related to a greater amount of total sick days taken by men. Sometimes showing integrity was associated with higher rate of sickness absence >1 week among men, and seldom showing integrity was associated with more sickness presenteeism among women. Managers performing Team integration were sometimes associated with women taking fewer short (<1 week) and long (>1 week) spells of sickness absence. Adjustment for self-reported general health did not alter these associations for men, but did so to some extent for women.

Conclusions: Managerial leadership was found to be relevant for the understanding of sickness absence in the Swedish working population. There were distinctive gender differences.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Leadership*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Exposure / adverse effects
  • Organizational Culture
  • Personal Satisfaction
  • Self Concept
  • Sex Factors
  • Sick Leave*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sweden / epidemiology
  • Workload / psychology