1

BOOK REVIEW

ATTACKING
ABSENTEEISM
AUTHOR
LYNN TYLCZAK

REVIEWED BY
ENGR. MUHAMMAD TARIQ PASHA

2
3
 CONTENTS

 Introduction.
 About the author.
 Objective.
 Contents of Chapters.
 Comments.
 Conclusion.
 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK
 Book is written by Lynn Tylczak.
 Published by: M/S Viva Books Private
Ltd., New Delhi, India.
 Price: Indian Rs. 99.00
 Available: It is available at all
the leading
book sellers of the
country in big cities.
 INTRODUCTION OF THE BOOK
CONTD.
 First Indian edition was printed in 2004.
It has an appealing title and fine
printing which creates a good image on
the reader.

 It has 67 pages, written in very simple

language and easy to understand. It
has six chapters with case study in
every chapter.
INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This self study book has been written by
Lynn Tylczak. She is head of the Staff
Development and Training Unit at
London.
 She possesses extensive experience of
education and communication skills.
 The fifty minute Book Series covers
topics in a friendly, easy-to-use self
paced format.
 Each lesson is carefully developed with
learning objectives.
 OBJECTIVE
The objectives of Book are:-
 To present Absenteeism psychology.
 To contrast discipline and reward in
absenteeism programs.
 To discuss the relationship between
absenteeism and workplace safety.
 To propose management techniques
that promote attendance.
 ABSENTEEISM

• It refers to practice of workers

absenting themselves frequently
from the work without any valid
reason i.e. staying away from job
knowingly. Absenteeism may be due
to worker’s dissatisfaction with the
condition of work or lack of job
satisfaction. It adversely affects the
smooth running and functioning of an
enterprise.
 ABSENTEEISM CONTD.

 It forces managers to deal with

problems of morale, discipline, job
dissatisfaction, job stress, team
spirit, productivity, turnover,
production quality, administration
and over head.
 ABSENTEEISM PROBLEMS
1. Camouflage
- Holidays and sickness Reasons.
- Education and Training.
- Employee Relations.
- Social, Community and other
reasons.
2. Employee Attitude
- Baseless Reasoning for Absent.
- Lame Excuse for not Coming.
 ABSENTEEISM PROBLEMS CONTD.
3. System that Encourage
- No any anti attendance policy.
- No any penalty for Absence.
- Habitual to avail entitled leaves.
4. Complex Causes
- Financial concerns.
- Emotional and Psychological
Concerns.
- May causes good or bad.
 ABSENTEEISM PROBLEMS CONTD.
 Absenteeism is a real problem. It costs
business of dollars and is influenced by
dozens of interrelated factor. It is
difficult to quantify, qualify or rectify.
 Philosophers, programs and procedures
are helping businesses to reduce
absentee rate.
 Experts commandments ten rules to
improve absenteeism and increase profit.
1. Keep track record of Absenteeism.
2.Discuss Absentee issues with
employees.
 ABSENTEEISM PROBLEMS CONTD.
3. Compensation to work hours.
4. Help employee to improve attendance
record.
5. Reward for good attendance.
6. Have fair and justifiable discipline.
7. Carefully match employees to job and
careers.
8. Promote safety and health.
9. Trains supervisors to support workers.
10.Meet specific company needs.
MORALE TO CONTROL ABSENTEEISM
- It is favorableness with which
employees view their work. It is
referred to inner satisfaction one gets
by performing one’s job well. It leads
to better performance.
- It is key to low absentee rate. Eight
steps to improve employee moral.
1. Emulate
Look at your own attendance
behaviour. Is it praise worthy or
questionable?
 MORALE TO CONTROL
ABSENTEEISM CONTD.
2. Appreciate
Appreciate workers. People want to be
where they wanted.
3. Ingratiate
Your relationship with your employees
will make them either want to stay or
want to stay away.
4. Stimulate
Everybody needs a break. If you break
up the routine work, you put the
brakes on absenteeism.
 MORALE TO CONTROL
ABSENTEEISM CONTD.
5. Integrate
Consider your employees a part of
team and not a part from the team.
6. Initiate
To lower Absenteeism rate, workers
participation be promoted.
7. Contemplate
Enthusiasm is behind every success.
 MORALE TO CONTROL
ABSENTEEISM CONTD.

8. Delegate
Give your workers authority,
responsibility.
If you use majority of these ‘Eight”
steps, you will be in the elite
managers class.
 RESULTS OF CASE STUDIES
 Improve manager – employee
communications.
 Address and redress employee
complaints e.g. uncomfortable work,
environment, unfair pay differential.
 Make sure that manager contact
employees after the first day’s
absence.
 Make sure that health department
employees maintain daily contact
with workers during medical leave.
RESULTS OF CASE STUDIES CONTD.
 Provide additional employee
orientation.
 Job Training and provide more
comprehensive training on new
equipment.
 Safety measures be adopted for
employees.
 Accident prevention.
 COMMENTS
Book is of worth reading due to subject
discussed and language used. It is
packed with:-
- Practical Tips.
- Interesting Check List.
- Focused Exercises.
- Useful Case Studies.
 Examples and tables have been used
which is a useful tool that a writer uses
to explain his ideas.
 COMMENTS CONTD.
 Systematic approach has been
developed in presenting the activities
required for grooming the staff.
 Every Chapter of the book has some
message for achieving goals.
 Absentees workers are normally meant
for business oriented organisations.
 Maximum success of any organisation
depends on the quality of the
manager/executive.
 COMMENTS CONTD.

 The concepts given in the book cannot

be made thumb rule for the Pakistani
business oriented work places.
 For our country we should develop
solutions as per our own requirement
because of less quality of education
and non-availability of modern tools
and media.
 CONCLUSION
After reading the book one can
conclude that:-
 Good manager spend less time about
people and more time how to solve
problems and get things done of the
organisation.
 Good managers have ability to think
creatively. They generate fresh ideas,
solutions and strategies to the
problems and challenges which arise.
 Maximum success of any organisation
depends on the innate quality of the
manager/executive.
 CONCLUSION CONTD.

 Good managers develop system to

ensure that outputs should not decline
on account of any reason of Absentees
workers.
 Good manager are concerned about the
useful and happiness of all the workers
regardless of formal preference.
 CONCLUSION CONTD.

 The approach of Wapda Administrative

Staff College giving the assignment of
“Book Review” to the participants of
Middle Management Course is highly
academic as it injects the germs of
literacy in the managers. Writing a
summary develops the habit of reading
and thinking.