Two in three people would work from home on days they phone in sick, according to research.
The study of 1,000 employees by communications firm NTL:Telewest Business
found that travelling rather than working was often the barrier to coming to the office.
Four in 10 added that less commuting would make them healthier as they’d be exposed to fewer germs.
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Stephen Beynon, managing director of NTL:Telewest Business, said: “The onset of winter always increases the amount of colds and other minor illnesses, but more flexible working practices can help employer and employee.
“Of course, no-one should work when they’re too ill to do so, but it’s highly likely that the UK loses millions of pounds every year through sick days taken when people are too ill to travel, rather than necessarily too ill to work.”