According to Phil Wood, Human Resources director for Zurich Financial Services, which employs 4,000 people in Swindon: "Sickness is managed on a departmental basis with support from HR if necessary.
"We operate the standard Government guidelines of self-certification for the first seven days and then require a doctor's certificate".
Stella Godwin, who runs Mainline Employment Ltd, with 30 staff and five hundred temps across Bristol and Swindon said: "Small companies find it difficult to cope with sickness but we have a low sickness record because of great team spirit.
"The team don't want to let each other down so people are only off sick when absolutely necessary.
"We scrutinise a candidate's sickness record at interview stage and I think increasing sickness levels sometimes show someone is unhappy in their job, for example if they're not hitting their targets."
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