The Impact of Absent Coworkers on Productivity in Teams

Sam Hoey, Thomas Peeters and Jan C. van Ours

No 17503, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: We study how workers in production teams are affected by the temporary absence and replacement of a coworker. When a substitute coworker is absent, the remaining coworkers produce less output per working time. They compensate for this by increasing their working time at the expense of the (less able) replacement worker, such that the output loss per remaining worker is not significant. When a complementary coworker is absent, we see a similar loss in output per minute worked, but this directly leads to a loss of output produced, because remaining workers do not take over the absent worker's tasks.

Keywords: Absenteeism; Worker productivity; Team production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 M50 M54 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-07
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Related works:
Journal Article: The impact of absent co-workers on productivity in teams (2023)
Working Paper: The Impact of Absent Coworkers on Productivity in Teams (2022)
Working Paper: The Impact of Absent Coworkers on Productivity in Teams (2022)
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