THE great Australian tradition of pulling a sickie could be endangered if technology used in the UK makes its way to our shores.
The Daily Mail reports UK businesses are using lie detectors with a new generation of voice analysis systems to crack down on employees who pull sickies.
The technology means someone phoning in for a sickie will speak not to their boss, but to a computer set up to check whether their voice is steady and reliable.
Its introduction to control absenteeism follows trials on welfare cheats and comes at a time when sickness levels in industry are estimated to cost the British economy more than £13 billion ($26 billion) a year, with nearly one in eight days off sick in the UK thought to be fake.
The Daily Telegraph reported last year sick leave costs Australian businesses $2.56 billion a year, a study conducted by recruitment company Morgan and Banks found.
Sickies across the Australian Public Service cost taxpayers $295 million a year in salaries and up to three times that amount in total expenses, The Australian reported in December.
One trial of the lie detector in North-West London saved the borough £420,000 in false welfare claims.
That system, developed by Capita and Digilog UK, is called Voice Risk Analysis.
It makes thousands of checks during a call and if it picks up changes in a caller's voice that suggest they are under pressure - as is likely if they are lying - it gives prompts to whoever is taking the call. They can then encourage the caller to change their mind about being sick.
The rest here.
The Daily Mail reports UK businesses are using lie detectors with a new generation of voice analysis systems to crack down on employees who pull sickies.
The technology means someone phoning in for a sickie will speak not to their boss, but to a computer set up to check whether their voice is steady and reliable.
Its introduction to control absenteeism follows trials on welfare cheats and comes at a time when sickness levels in industry are estimated to cost the British economy more than £13 billion ($26 billion) a year, with nearly one in eight days off sick in the UK thought to be fake.
The Daily Telegraph reported last year sick leave costs Australian businesses $2.56 billion a year, a study conducted by recruitment company Morgan and Banks found.
Sickies across the Australian Public Service cost taxpayers $295 million a year in salaries and up to three times that amount in total expenses, The Australian reported in December.
One trial of the lie detector in North-West London saved the borough £420,000 in false welfare claims.
That system, developed by Capita and Digilog UK, is called Voice Risk Analysis.
It makes thousands of checks during a call and if it picks up changes in a caller's voice that suggest they are under pressure - as is likely if they are lying - it gives prompts to whoever is taking the call. They can then encourage the caller to change their mind about being sick.
The rest here.
Horrible, but unexpected. I have to say though, a good corporate culture can get around this. Sickies are fine, provided people know the system and play by the rules.
I think I'd email in if I was sick ... ! Or can they detct the jitters in my keyboard strokes?
Hahaha...I text my boss! Who wants to talk when ur sick? Even if it is the 9 to 5 illness!!! And besides, if I do take a sick day, that is my prerogative as its apart of my salary...those days don't carry over and are equivalent to a fortnights salary so why not take them!
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