Effects of leader–member exchange and workload on presenteeism

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to promote a wider understanding of the importance of distinguishing between presenteeism behavior and its motivation and between the avoidance and approach dimensions of motivation, and to rectify the neglect of presenteeism’s antecedents (in particular, situational ones). It develops a theoretical model that explains how situational antecedents affect presenteeism – conventionally defined as attending work while ill. Design/methodology/approach: An ordinary least-squares regression-based path analysis is employed to analyze the findings of a sample of 277 employees in service organizations in southwestern China. Findings: Findings demonstrate that the situational factor, leader–member exchange (LMX), is positively related to the approach dimension of presenteeism motivation and that of workload moderates the positive link between presenteeism motivation and behavior, such that employees who experience higher workload more frequently display presenteeism behavior. Practical implications: Findings suggest that managers should be prudent when developing relationships with their subordinates and consider the ways in which they may most effectively encourage employees to support their organization. Originality/value: This is the first study to consider LMX and workload as situational antecedents of presenteeism motivation and behavior.