Gary Johns, PhD

Gary Johns (PhD, Wayne State University) is Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Honorary University Research Chair of Management in the John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, Montreal and Adjunct Professor in the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He has research interests in absenteeism from work, presenteeism, work design, research methodology, and the impact of context on organizational behavior.  He has published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Annals, Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Management, Academy of Management Discoveries, Leadership Quarterly, Research in Organizational Behavior, Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Vocational Behavior, American Psychologist, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Social Science & Medicine, Canadian Psychology, Human Resource Management Review, Human Relations, Applied Psychology: An International Review, Journal of Business and Psychology, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, and Cross Cultural Management. Co-author of Organizational Behavior: Understanding and Managing Life at Work (in 12th Edition, Pearson).  Recipient of Academy of Management Organizational Behavior Division's New Concept Award, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology's Edwin E. Ghiselli Research Design Award, the Canadian Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology's Award for Distinguished Contributions to Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the Concordia University Research Award, the award for the Best Article published in Human Relations, the award for the Outstanding Paper published in Cross Cultural Management, the Academy of Management Review Decade Award, and the Google Scholar Classic Paper Commendation.  Elected Fellow of SIOP, American Psychological Association, Canadian Psychological Association, Academy of Management, and International Association of Applied Psychology. Former Chair of the Canadian Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Former Associate Editor, Journal of Organizational Behavior.  Currently on editorial board of Human Relations. Formerly on editorial boards of Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Personnel Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, and Applied Psychology: An International Review. Held visiting positions at University of Sheffield, University of Oregon, Queensland University of Technology, Australian Graduate School of Management and Australian School of Business (University of New South Wales), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Singapore Management University, Australia’s Griffith University, the University of Tasmania, and the University of British Columbia.

Education

PhD (Wayne State)

Areas of Expertise

• Absenteeism from work
• Presenteeism
• Impact of context on organizational behaviour
• Work design
• Research methodology

Publications

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2026). Organizational behavior: Understanding and managing life at work (13th ed.). Toronto: Pearson. (In press)

Johns, G. (2024). The context deficit in leadership research. The Leadership Quarterly, 35, Article 101755.

L'Heureux, J., McTaggert-Cowan, H., Johns, G., Chen, L., Steiner, T., Tocher, P., Sun, H., & Zhang, W. (2023). How to present work productivity loss from clinical trials for patients and caregivers? A mixed methods approach. Social Science & Medicine, 328, Article 115999.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2023). Organizational behavior: Understanding and managing life at work (12th ed.). Toronto: Pearson.

Kniffin, K.M., Naraynan, J., ... Johns, G., ... & van Vugt, M. (2021). COVID-19 and the workplace: Implications, issues, and insights for future research and action. American Psychologist, 76, 63-77.

Miraglia, M., & Johns, G. (2021). The social and relational dynamics of absenteeism from work: A multi-level review and integration. Academy of Management Annals, 15, 37-67. (Finalist for the 2022 Annals Best Paper Award)

Johns, G. (2021). Departures from conventional wisdom: Where's the next opposite effect? Academy of Management Discoveries, 7, 10-14.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2020). Organizational behavior: Understanding and managing life at work (11th ed.). Toronto: Pearson.

Ruhle, S.A., Breitsohl, H., … Johns, G., … & Yang, T. (2020). "To work or not to work, that is the question"--Recent trends and avenues for research on presenteeism. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 29, 344-363.    

Lvina, E., Johns, G., & Vandenberghe, C. (2018). Team political skill composition as a determinant of team cohesiveness and performance. Journal of Management, 44, 1001-1028.

Donia, M.B.L., Johns, G., Raja, U., & Ben Ayed, A.K. (2018). Getting credit for OCBs: Potential costs of being a good actor vs. a good soldier. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 27, 188-203.

Johns, G. (2018). Advances in the treatment of context in organizational research. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 5, 21-46.

Miraglia, M., & Johns, G. (2018). Presenteeism and well-being at work. In C.L. Cooper & L. Lu (Eds.), Presenteeism at work (pp. 183-218). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Parker, S.K., Morgeson, F.P., & Johns, G. (2017). One hundred years of work design research: Looking back and looking forward. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102, 403-420.

Johns, G. (2017). Reflections on the 2016 Decade Award:  Incorporating context in organizational research. Academy of Management Review, 42, 577-595.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2017). Organizational behavior: Understanding and managing life at work (10th ed.). Toronto: Pearson.

ten Brummelhuis, L.L., Johns, G., Lyons, B.J., & ter Hoeven, C. (2016). Why and when do employees imitate the absenteeism of co-workers? Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 134, 16-30.   

Miraglia, M., & Johns, G. (2016). Going to work ill: A meta-analysis of the correlates of presenteeism and a dual-path model. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 21, 261-283.

Johns, G., & Al Hajj, R. (2016). Frequency versus time lost measures of absenteeism: Is the voluntariness distinction an urban legend? Journal of Organizational Behavior, 37, 456-479. 

Donia, M.B.L., Johns, G., & Raja, U.  (2016).  Good soldier or good actor?  Supervisor accuracy in distinguishing between selfless and self-serving OCB motives.  Journal of Business and Psychology, 31, 23-32.

Johns, G., & Miraglia, M.  (2015).  The reliability, validity, and accuracy of self-reported absenteeism from work: A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 20, 1-14.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M.  (2014).  Organizational behaviour: Understanding and managing life at work (9th ed.).  Toronto: Pearson.

Addae, H.M., Johns, G., & Boies, K.  (2013).  The legitimacy of absenteeism from work: A nine-nation exploratory study. Cross Cultural Management, 20, 402-428.  (Award for Outstanding Paper published in CCM in 2013)

Dello Russo, S., Miraglia, M., Borgogni, L., & Johns, G. (2013).  How time and perceptions of social context shape employee absenteeism trajectories.  Journal of Vocational Behavior, 83, 209-217.

Lvina, E., Johns, G., Treadway, D. C., Blickle, G., Liu, Y., Liu, J., ... &  Ferris, G.R. (2012).  Measure invariance of the Political Skill Inventory (PSI) across five cultures. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 12, 171-191.

Johns, G.  (2012).  Presenteeism: A short history and a cautionary tale.  In J. Houdmont, S. Leka, & R.R. Sinclair (Eds.), Contemporary occupational health psychology: Global perspectives on research and practice (Vol. 2, pp. 204-220). Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Patton, E., & Johns, G.  (2012).  Context and the social representation of absenteeism: Absence in the popular press and in academic research.  Human Relations, 65, 217-240.

Johns, G.  (2011).  Attendance dynamics at work: The antecedents and correlates of presenteeism, absenteeism, and productivity loss.  Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16, 483-500.

Patton, E., & Johns, G.  (2012).  Sex or gender? The enigma of women's elevated absenteeism.  In S. Fox & T. R. Lituchy (Eds.), Gender and the dysfunctional workplace (pp. 149-163).  Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2011). Organizational behaviour: Understanding and managing life at work (8th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Raja, U., Johns, G., & Bilgrami, S.R., (2011). Negative consequences of felt violations: The deeper the relationship the stronger the reaction. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 60, 397-420.

Johns, G. (2010). Presenteeism in the workplace: A review and research agenda. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31, 519-542.

Raja, U., & Johns, G. (2010). The joint effects of personality and job scope on in-role performance, citizenship behaviors, and creativity. Human Relations, 63, 981-1005.

Johns, G. (2010). Some unintended consequences of job design. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31, 361-369.

Johns, G. (2009). Absenteeism or presenteeism? Attendance dynamics and employee well-being. In S. Cartwright & C.L. Cooper (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of organizational well-being (pp.7-30). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Johns, G. (2008). Absenteeism and presenteeism: Not at work or not working well. In C.L. Cooper & J. Barling (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of organizational behavior (Vol. 1, pp. 160-177). London: Sage.

Darr, W., & Johns, G. (2008). Work strain, health, and absenteeism from work: A meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 13, 293-318.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2008). Organizational behaviour: Understanding and managing life at work (7th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Patton, E., & Johns, G. (2007). Women’s absenteeism in the popular press: Evidence for a gender-specific absence culture. Human Relations, 60, 1579-1612. (Award for Best Article published in Human Relations in 2007).

Johns, G.  (2006).  The essential impact of context on organizational behavior.  Academy of Management Review, 31, 386-408. (2016 Academy of Management Review Decade Award for the one AMR article that has achieved the most citations over the past ten years. 2017 Google Scholar Commendation for being among the ten most-cited articles that were published ten years earlier in human resources and organizations).  

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2005). Organizational behaviour: Understanding and managing life at work (6th ed.). Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Darr, W., & Johns, G. (2004). Political decision-making climates: Theoretical processes and multi-level antecedents. Human Relations, 57, 169-200.

Raja, U., Johns, G., & Ntalanis, F. (2004). The impact of personality on psychological contracts. Academy of Management Journal, 47, 350-367.

Johns, G. (2003). How methodological diversity has improved our understanding of absenteeism from work. Human Resource Management Review, 13, 157-184.

Johns, G. (2002). Absenteeism and mental health. In J.C. Thomas & M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of mental health in the workplace (pp. 437-455). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Addae, H.M., & Johns, G. (2002). National culture and perceptions of absence legitimacy. In M. Koslowsky and M. Krausz (Eds.), Voluntary employee withdrawal and inattendance: A current perspective (pp. 21-51). New York: Kluwer/Plenum.

Johns, G., & Saks, A.M. (2001). Organizational behaviour: Understanding and managing life at work (5th ed.). Toronto: Addison Wesley Longman.

Johns, G. (2001). In praise of context. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22, 31-42.

Johns, G. (2001). The psychology of lateness, absenteeism, and turnover. In N. Anderson, D.S. Ones, H.K. Sinangil, and C. Viswesvaran (Eds.), Handbook of industrial, work & organizational psychology (Vol. 2, pp. 232-252). London: Sage.

Xie, J.L., & Johns, G. (2000). Interactive effects of absence culture salience and group cohesiveness: A multi-level and cross-level analysis of work absenteeism in the Chinese context. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 73, 31-52.

Harrison, D.A., Johns, G., & Martocchio, J.J. (2000). Changes in technology, teamwork, and diversity: New directions for a new century of absenteeism research. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 18, 43-91.

Johns, G. (1999). A multi-level theory of self-serving behavior in and by organizations. Research in Organizational Behavior, 21, 1-38.

Johns, G. (1998). The nature of work, the context of organizational behaviour, and the application of industrial/organizational psychology. Canadian Psychology, 39, 149-157.

Johns, G., & Xie, J.L. (1998). Perceptions of absence from work: People's Republic of China versus Canada. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 515-530.

Johns, G. (1998). Aggregation or aggravation? The relative merits of a broad withdrawal construct. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19, 453-462.

Johns, G. (1997). Contemporary research on absence from work: Correlates, causes, and consequences. International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 12, 115-174. Reprinted in I. Robertson & C. Cooper (Eds.). (2001). Personnel psychology and HRM. Chichester, England: Wiley.

Johns, G. (1996). Organizational behavior: Understanding and managing life at work (4th ed.). New York: HarperCollins. (Romanian edition 1998)

Xie, J.L., & Johns, G. (1995). Job scope and stress: Can job scope be too high? Academy of Management Journal, 38, 1288-1309. Reprinted in P. Stone & M. Cannon (Eds.). (1997). Organizational Psychology (Vol. III). Aldershot, England: Ashgate.

Johns, G. (1994). Absenteeism estimates by employees and managers: Divergent perspectives and self-serving perceptions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 229-239

Johns, G. (1994). How often were you absent? A review of the use of self-reported absence data. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79, 574-591

Johns, G. (1993). Constraints on the adoption of psychology-based personnel practices: Lessons from organizational innovation. Personnel Psychology, 46, 569-592.

Johns, G. (1992). Organizational behavior: Understanding life at work (3rd ed.). New York: HarperCollins

Johns, G., Xie, J.L., & Fang, Y. (1992). Mediating and moderating effects in job design. Journal of Management, 18, 657-676.

Johns, G. (1991). Substantive and methodological constraints on behavior and attitudes in organizational research. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 49, 80-104.

Johns, G. (1989). Performance and turnover cognitions among managers. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 6, 2, 37-42.

Johns, G. (1988). Organizational behavior: Understanding life at work (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.

Johns, G. (1987). Understanding and managing absence from work. In S.L. Dolan & R.S. Schuler (Eds.), Canadian readings in personnel and human resource management (pp. 324-335). St. Paul, MN: West.

Nicholson, N., & Johns, G. (1985). The absence culture and the psychological contract -- Who's in control of absence? Academy of Management Review, 10, 397-407. Reprinted in R.M. Steers & L.W. Porter (Eds.). (1987). Motivation and work behavior (4th ed. pp. 376-390). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Johns, G. (1984). Unresolved issues in the study and management of absence from work. In P.S. Goodman & R.S. Atkin (Eds.), Absenteeism: New approaches to understanding, measuring, and managing employee absence (pp. 360-390). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Johns, G. (1983). Organizational behavior: Understanding life at work. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman. (Mandarin edition 1987)

Ashour, A.S., & Johns, G. (1983). Leader influence through operant principles: A theoretical and methodological framework. Human Relations, 36, 603-626.

Johns, G., & Nicholson, N. (1982). The meanings of absence: New strategies for theory and research. Research in Organizational Behavior, 4, 127-172. (New Concept Award, Organizational Behavior Division, Academy of Management, 1983). Reprinted in L.L. Cummings & B.M. Staw (Eds.). (1990). Evaluation and employment in organizations (pp. 207-252). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

Johns, G. (1981). Difference score measures of organizational behavior variables: A critique. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 27, 443-463

Moore, L.F., Johns, G., & Pinder, C.C. (1980). Toward middle range theory: An overview and perspective. In C.C. Pinder & L.F. Moore (Eds.), Middle range theory and the study of organizations (pp. 1-16). Boston: Martinus Nijhoff.

Johns, G. (1978). Task moderators of the relationship between leadership style and subordinate responses. Academy of Management Journal, 21, 319-325.

Johns, G. (1978). Attitudinal and nonattitudinal predictors of two forms of absence from work. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 22, 431-444.

Johns, G. (1975). Effects of informational order and frequency of applicant evaluation upon linear information-processing competence of interviewers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60, 427-433.