More than eight out of 10 (82%) of office workers lie for their manager on a daily basis.

According to recruitment website www.hirescores.com, lies include managers being on the phone or away from their desk, to avoid unwanted conversations.

Office workers are the biggest culprits for lying about their boss, compared with only 13% of labourers and 19% of retail workers.

One in five employees have also taken the blame for management slip-ups.

Lisette Howlett, managing director of www.hirescores.com, said: "Companies spend so much time, money and rhetoric on treating customers fairly and yet there is a high level of institutionalised dishonesty. It appears to be part of the normal fabric of doing business."