title: Organizational factors related to low levels of sickness absence in a representative set of Swedish companies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this qualitative study was to identify manageable organizational factors that could explain why some companies have low levels of sickness absence. There may be factors at company level that can be managed to influence levels of sickness absence, and promote health and a prosperous organization.
  
  
  METHODS
  38 representative Swedish companies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included a total of 204 semi-structured interviews at 38 representative Swedish companies. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to the interviews, primarily with managers, to indicate the organizational factors that characterize companies with low levels of sickness absence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factors that were found to characterize companies with low levels of sickness absence concerned strategies and procedures for managing leadership, employee development, communication, employee participation and involvement, corporate values and visions, and employee health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results may be useful in finding strategies and procedures to reduce levels of sickness absence and promote health. There is research at individual level on the reasons for sickness absence. This study tries to elevate the issue to an organizational level. The findings suggest that explicit strategies for managing certain organizational factors can reduce sickness absence and help companies to develop more health-promoting strategies.
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stoetzer
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aborg
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Health Sciences, Linkopings University, Linkoping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, Mälardalen University, Gåsmyrevreten, Västerås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunnel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahlberg
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parmsund
authors.affiliation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svartengren
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D015279:Organizational Culture; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018582:Sick Leave; D013192:Staff Development; D013548:Sweden