The traditional telephone ‘sickie’ is dying out – as thousands of employees text in sick instead.

Researchers found one in five employees now send a quick text message to let people know they won’t be in.

And a quarter of those, polled by cough remedy Covonia, said they did it simply to avoid being made to feel guilty by their employer.

Another 21 per cent preferred to text in sick because they’re worried they don’t sound ill enough and feared their boss would think they were fibbing.

A Covonia spokesman said: “Texting in sick is clearly not helping the relationship between employer and employee.

“'The survey suggests that if you are genuinely unwell, a good old fashioned and personal telephone call will get your message across best and avoid any misunderstandings or reasons for mistrust.”

Forty-two per cent of bosses said they felt staff may be pretending to be ill if they sent a text.

But it also emerged more than 57 per cent of employers have reprimanded staff who have avoided using the phone and 22 per cent have handed out a warning.

The poll of 5,000 workers and employers revealed that of those who do use the old-fashioned phone call, 30 per cent speak in a quieter, more feeble voice when calling in sick to ensure their boss believes them.

Another quarter exaggerate their symptoms and 26 per cent make a reference to the doctor to help legitimise their absence.

One in 20 even admit to crying on the phone to strengthen their case.

But to show willing, 23 per cent say they’ll try and make it in later if they feel better and another seven per cent offer to work from home.

However, bosses could be forgiven for being suspicious as a third of Brits admitted to pulling a sickie at least once in the past year because they simply fancied a day off.