An online poll of 1035 workers by the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Workplace Leadership measured how employees viewed their work, asking which employees were more likely to fake a sick day and who was more likely to look forward to their Monday mornings.

About 43 per cent of surveyed workers aged 18 to 24 years old admitted to faking a sick day.

Workers over 45 and those in executive or management positions were less likely to fake illness.

Just 19 per cent of senior and executive managers suffered `Mondayitis’, in contrast to 42 per cent of total employees.

Director of the Centre, Professor Peter Gahan, said the “results show that if you take a sickie, you’re more likely to look forward to going to work on a Monday”.

“This may imply that people who take ‘mental health days’ feel more in control of their working life, and that those who work part-time are more enthusiastic about returning to work,’’ he said.

“There are also warning bells for middle managers.

“Thirty-six per cent of middle managers admit to faking a sick day in the past twelve months and 47 per cent believe that their counterparts are being paid more than they are.”