Affiliations: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of
Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden | Division of Community Medicine, Department of Medical
Health Sciences, Linkopings University, Linkoping, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Ulrich Stoetzer, PhD, Occupational
and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska
Institutet, 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel.: +46 8 524 877 98; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is a need for more knowledge on how to
manage companies towards healthier and more prosperous organizations with low
levels of absenteeism. Relational Justice can be a useful concept when managing
such organizations. OBJECTIVE: Organizational factors can help to explain
why some companies have relatively low absenteeism rates, even though they are
equal to other companies in many other aspects. Previous studies suggest that
management may be one important factor. Efficient management may depend on good
relations between the leaders and the employees. The concept of Relational
Justice is designed to capture these relations. Consequently, a Relational
Justice framework may be used to understand why some companies have a low
incidence of absenteeism. PARTICIPANTS: Managers from a representative
body of Swedish companies. METHODS: Interviews were analyzed to explore
whether the items representing the concept of Relational Justice can be used to
further understand the strategies, procedures and structures that characterize
organizations and management in companies with a low incidence of absenteeism. RESULTS: Strategies, procedures or principles related to Relational
Justice were common and highlighted in companies with an incidence of
absenteeism. The most frequently occurring factors were; to be treated with
kindness and consideration, personal viewpoint considered and to be treated impartially. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that a Relational Justice
framework could be used to increase understanding of the organizational and
managerial factors typical for companies with a low incidence of absenteeism. A
Relational Justice approach to organizational management may be used to
successfully lower absenteeism, change organizations and promote healthy and
prosperous companies.
Keywords: Management, health, prevention, health promotion, organizational justice
