The effects of presenteeism on job satisfaction as moderated by a person's psychological capital

Abstract Presenteeism, defined as working while ill, presents a significant challenge for organizations and employee well-being. Drawing on Value-Perception Theory, Job Demands- Resources Theory, and Conservation of Resources Theory, this study examined the relationship between presenteeism and job satisfaction and the potential moderating role of Psychological Capital (PsyCap). Data were collected through a cross-sectional online survey of 173 working adults using established measures of presenteeism, PsyCap, and job satisfaction. Hypotheses were tested using regression and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro in SPSS. Results revealed a significant negative relationship between presenteeism and job satisfaction (B = -0.51, p = .001). Contrary to expectations, PsyCap did not significantly moderate this relationship (B = 0.24, p = .280). However, post-hoc analyses identified a significant negative relationship between PsyCap and presenteeism (B = -0.53, p < .001), while resilience, a subdimension of PsyCap, significantly moderated the relationship between presenteeism and job satisfaction (B = 0.38, p = .039). These findings suggest that psychological resources, particularly resilience, may play an important role in understanding the relationship between working while ill and employee job satisfaction. Implications for organizational practices and future research are discussed. Keywords: Presenteeism, Job Satisfaction, Psychological Capital, Resilience, Job Demands- Resources Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory.