A positive correlation coefficient would tell HR that the opposite is true—that the absentee rate is actually higher when employees have longer tenure with the company. This would be reflected by a positive number, such as +.8. Figure 2.3 shows what this would look like. If there were no correlation at all—that is, if length of employment had nothing to do with absenteeism—the correlation coefficient would be 0.0, as shown in Figure 2.4.