Timeframes and Absence Frameworks: A Test of Steers and Rhodes' (1978) Model of Attendance

Abstract

Steers and Rhodes' (1978) model of employee attendance encompasses a variety of absence-predictor types (e.g., attitudes, personal factors, etc.). Recent conceptual frameworks suggest that the inconsistent findings on this model may be attributable, in part, to the use of absence timeframes that are incompatible with individual model components. Using data from 580 federal employees, a predictive analysis evaluated exogenous model predictors against absence criteria representing four different cumulation periods. Supplemental analysis explored the possibility of incremental endogenous-variable (i.e., Ability to Attend, Motivation to Attend) contributions. Results of both tests were consistent with a conclusion of partial model support.