British employees urged not to go to work if they feel unwell, despite bleak economic outlook and fears over job safety.
Workers have been advised to adopt a "common sense approach" when deciding whether they are well enough to go to the office.
Rising unemployment levels and gloomy economic predictions have led to fears that some UK employees may feel obliged to go to work, even if they are suffering from illness.
However, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's senior public policy adviser Ben Willmott said that people should not feel forced to enter the workplace if they are physically below par.
Mr Willmott commented: "I think the important thing is for people to have a common sense approach to illness.
"If they have got a temperature and they have got flu then obviously they shouldn't come into work."
A report released by FirstCare in December last year claimed that many British employees "feel it is important to be seen in the workplace even when they are not fit for duty".
It also stated that the current economic climate is increasing stress levels and taking its toll on people's immune systems, thereby increasing the number of workers calling in sick.
Mr Willmott believes that the problem of sickness and absence for businesses can be significantly reduced by good management.
According to the CIPD adviser, employees who work under managers that give them "clear objectives" and "good feedback" are more likely to enjoy going to work, and are therefore less liable to take unnecessary sick days.
Methods of reducing absence levels recommended by FirstCare include providing employees with fresh fruit in the office, establishing high standards of hygiene in the workplace and encouraging staff to utilise their breaks.
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