Bewertung des Arabian Journal of Business and Management

HR Interventions in New Normal, Factors of Employee Absenteeism at Rourkela Steel Plant, Odisha during COVID-19: A Causal Model

Abstract

Muna Kalyani and Nirajana Das

Absenteeism is famous for being difficult to comprehend, and forecasting the exact pattern of it after numerous research efforts is yet unachievable. COVID has brought new dimensions to this concept as work-life has witnessed an unusual style of operations. The manufacturing industry also suffered during this period in terms of productivity and administrative control over employees. This study attempts to find out the determinants of employee absenteeism considering demographic variables and COVID-related factors during unusual and unexpected COVID 19 in a steel manufacturing plant in Odisha. Based on a literature review of absence, a consolidative model is established while merging demographic with COVID-related factors to predict absence patterns. The statistical analysis specified that construct absenteeism is significantly correlated with service length, type of work, age of the employee, and marital status. An important finding is that absenteeism is related to corvid-related factors both positively and significantly. Lastly, with the help of regression analysis, it is revealed that service length and level of education are proven to be significant in predicting employee absenteeism at the workplace during the COVID pandemic.