Abstract:

Absence from work has a direct impact on the quality of the service provided by the council to its citizens. Analyse the connection between work absenteeism at the Town Council of Bragança and job satisfaction; identify factors concerning the type of work as well as the worker’s attitudes, behaviours and values which may be correlated to job satisfaction. Quantitative, observational and transversal study involving a survey conducted among the workers of a medium-sized municipality located in the northeast of Portugal. The correlations were tested by using Spearman’s statistic test for a level of significance of 5%. From the 71 workers surveyed, 28 had already been absent from their workplace. The main causes stated by workers to justify their absence were sickness, short (14.1) and long-term (7%), family caregiving (12.7%), and others (8.5%). The existence of a correlation between absenteeism and job satisfaction was not proved. However, correlations were observed between job satisfaction and type of work, namely “varied and challenging tasks” (ρ=.591; Sig.=.000), “level of autonomy at work” (ρ=.458; Sig.=.000), “participation in decision making” (ρ=.587; Sig.=.000), “communication with leaders” (ρ=.661; Sig.=.000), “relationship with work colleagues” (ρ=.510; Sig. =.000), “adequacy of working hours” (ρ=.390; Sig.=.001), and “conditions of the workplace facilities” (ρ=.609; Sig.=.000), as well as between job satisfaction and workers’ attitudes, values and goals, namely “job expectations” (ρ=.835; Sig.=.000), “job demands and personal development conciliation” (ρ=.307; Sig.=.009), “I feel motivated and contented at the council” (ρ=.505; Sig.=.000), “I feel I can be promoted” (ρ=.494; Sig.=.000),e “I intend to continue working in the organisation” (ρ=.423; Sig.=.000).  Although no statistically significant correlation was found between job satisfaction and absenteeism, there are some factors associated with the type of work and with workers’ attitudes, behaviours and goals which showed to be correlated to job satisfaction. Therefore, it is recommendable that middle and executive managers continue to improve such conditions so as to increase the productivity, quality and efficiency of the service provided to citizens by council workers.