I started in the Civil Service in 1978. Office managers in those days were called Chief Clerks, nearly all blokes, addressed as Mr and deferred to without question. My induction talk included a very clear warning that self certified sick leave was not a perk to be added to the already reasonably generous holidays. As a manager myself I've monitored it for years and had 'words' with numerous people who had patterns ranging from Monday/Friday to hangovers and, more problematically what were obviously 'women's problems'.
We still have a sick pay scheme, probably generous by small employer standards but I suspect comparable with what's on offer in banks, utilities etc. Long term (over three weeks) is rigorously monitored and some conditions, including depression & stress have to be reported to welfare straight away. If you're not going to be fit to return dismissal on capacity grounds is the usual course. Medical retirement is subject to very tight 'gatekeeping' and, for those in the premium pension scheme it can be annulled if the capacity to work returns.
There used to be attendance perks like not coming in until 10:00 during the 'long vacation' when the courts were not sitting. That had disappeared by the eighties; people were re-deployed to other areas where work was less cyclical or where there were arrears. Flexi time, greeted with approbation even by those who remembered the attendance book and its 09:00 red line, turned any creative attendance into fraud.
And don't get me started on contractors, consultants and interim managers. The few good ones are far outweighed by the charlatans taking a grand a day for six months install something the staff could have designed in a week.
I'm not intending this to be defensive, or to suggest there are never any abuses (though where they exist it's because managers won't use the processes that exist) but to try and put the other side of the coin.
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