ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses two complementary approaches for dealing with absence problems, a person-centred and a condition-centred approach. It presents an account of the findings and insights derived from the enquiries which covered sickness, as well as other absences, from work. In the six year study comparisons of individual absence records were made to examine the question of consistency in absence behaviour. The reduction in the incidence of one day absence spells after the introduction of the disciplinary warning system was also statistically significant. The evidence suggests that the trend in overall absence rates can indicate the relative importance of short and long absences. From the practical point of view the information which is required for assessing the problem and for taking action consists in a good individual absence record system and in appropriate in-company criteria for assessing what are reasonable absence records.
