Research from HireScores, a recruitment scoring website, found 82 per cent of office workers have lied for their boss, compared to 19 per cent of retail employees and 13 per cent of manual workers.

The study of 1,322 staff also found more than half of office employees have taken the blame for their manager’s error.

HireScores’ managing director Lisette Howlett says: ‘On the face of it, most lying within an office environment is for convenience and speed but when does a minor lie become a major.’

Employer groups welcomed plans, revealed earlier this year, indicating that sick employees may be forced to undergo lie detection tests in a move to cut absenteeism, following positive trials of the product with false benefit claimants.

High-tech voice analysis systems, created by Capita, could be used to detect the reliability of the staff member’s illness claims.