A couple of years ago I wrote a column that went down like a bucket of cold sick with many FT readers. The vulgar metaphor is apt as the subject of this particular piece was sick - or, rather, sick days. I said that people who felt in need of time off to mollycoddle themselves through a common cold were pathetic - or words to that effect. This got right up the congested noses of the pro-cold police and made them very cross indeed.

I was reminded of this last week when I read about a brilliant new scheme developed by Royal Mail, whose postmen skive and malinger more than the national average (though I would like to make clear that my own postman, Mick, is healthy, hardworking and generally an example to us all). It has told them that if they show up to work every day for six months, they will be entered for a prize draw and could win a car or a holiday in the sun. The effect has been incredible. Absenteeism is down by about 15 per cent.