The desperate measure using over-the-phone lie detectors comes at a time when absenteeism due to ‘sickness’ are costing companies billions of pounds and reports showing nearly one in eight days off sick thought to be bogus.

The technology ensures that someone phoning in for a sickie will speak to a computer set up to check whether their voice is steady and reliable. The Voice Risk Analysis (VRA) picks up changes in a caller’s voice that suggest they are under pressure - as is likely if they are lying, the Daily Mail of Britain said today.

“Employers believe 12 per cent of absence is not genuine and that these sickies amount to 21 million lost days every year,” said Susan Anderson, personnel policy chief at the Confederation of British Industry.

“Employers also believe there is often a link between false absence and weekends, holidays and special events like international football games. This technology could be very useful where employers suspect staff are abusing sickness rules,” she was quoted as saying by the daily.