Issue: 2026/Vol.36/No.4, Pages
CULTURAL BACKGROUND AND EMPLOYEES' PRESENTEEISM - EUROPEAN COUNTRIES' PERSPECTIVE
Katarzyna Miszczyńska
, Agnieszka Kłysik-Uryszek , Magdalena Godek-Brunel , Piotr Miszczyński
This is not yet the definitive version of the paper. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article.
Cite as: K. Miszczyńska, A. Kłysik-Uryszek, M. Godek-Brunel, P. Miszczyński. Cultural background and employees' presenteeism - European countries' perspective. Operations Research and Decisions 2026: 36(4). DOI 10.37190/ord/231141
Abstract
The study aimed to examine the association between cultural background and the propensity of employees to stay at work despite illness or disability. The scope of the study includes 29 European countries from both the EU and non-EU representing significant differences in cultural parameters. The National Culture model by Hofstede was used for the analysis. It distinguishes 6 dimensions of national cultures: power distance, individualism, indulgence, uncertainty avoidance, motivation towards achievements and success, and long-term orientation. All these dimensions characterize social behavior, values, and attitudes across several important areas that -- we believe -- may be associated with the decision to stay at work despite the rationale for a layoff. Using classification trees and cluster analysis, the countries in question are analysed from the perspective of the relationship between their cultural background and the occurrence of presenteeism. The work results in the identification of groups of countries displaying similar characteristics of presenteeism in relation to cultural models.
Keywords: presenteeism, national cultural models, Hofstede model, classification trees, cluster analysis, European countries
Received: 18 March 2026 Accepted: 15 August 2026
Published online: 16 August 2026