Employee Absenteeism and Organisational Productivity: A Study of Selected Manufacturing Firms in Rivers State

This research investigates the relationship between employee absenteeism and organisational productivity in selected manufacturing firms in Rivers State, Nigeria's South South geopolitical zone. Absenteeism is a significant operational challenge in Nigerian manufacturing, disrupting production schedules, increasing overtime costs, and eroding overall workforce efficiency. This study employs a survey research design with data gathered from 115 production supervisors and human resource officers across ten manufacturing firms in Port Harcourt. Structured questionnaires served as the data collection instruments, supplemented by company attendance records where accessible. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. The study examines absenteeism drivers including health challenges, transportation difficulties, family obligations, job dissatisfaction, and poor work environment conditions, relating these to productivity metrics such as production output volumes, machine utilisation rates, and order fulfilment timelines. Findings reveal significant negative correlations between absenteeism frequency and all measured productivity indicators, with health challenges and transportation difficulties as the most prevalent drivers. Firms that implemented flexible leave policies and staff welfare programmes reported comparatively lower absenteeism rates. The paper recommends that manufacturing firms in Rivers State introduce comprehensive employee wellness programmes, improve transportation support for shift workers, and strengthen supervisory engagement to proactively address attendance issues. Keywords: employee absenteeism, organisational productivity, manufacturing, Rivers State, workforce management.