Government to get tough on UK 'sickie' culture

Lie detector technology to deter employees from pulling sickies has been advocated by the government for a trial, it has been revealed.

The Voice Risk Analysis (VRA), set to be tested as part of a year-long Harrow Borough Council trial, could be just what sales jobs employers need to separate those faking illness from the truly unwell.

But rather than increasing the turnover of sales recruitment and sacking as a result of detectable sick day lies, managing director of software firm Midland HR, Laurence Knowles, believes that it will act as a deterrent.

He told Personnel Today: "If you know there is a lie detector on the other end of the phone, I'm pretty sure most people would think twice.

"If lie detectors can detect benefit fraud, then why not look at the application of the technology in absence management?"

However, research suggests that it is the public sector, rather than businesses, that is in most need of the technology, taking an average of nine sick days per a year.

By comparison, according to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), private sector workers in positions such as sales jobs only take 5.8 days off per year.


Aaron Wallis are a Milton Keynes Sales Recruitment agency with a unique service offering that includes 12 months rebate. Psychometric profiling and online skills testing are also included within a fixed recruitment price.

Filed: 16-05-2008