Will your staff play ball once the World Cup whistle blows?
With the start of World Cup just a few days away, here are some top tips to help manage staffing during this massive sporting distraction.
Employers are being urged to plan ahead for the likelihood that some employees will take more of an interest in their team’s fortunes than their duties and want to watch games during work hours.
This year’s tournament in South Africa has made life somewhat easier for some operating ‘nine to five’, Monday to Friday hours because kick-off times for England’s group matches are at weekends or in the evening during the week.
However, international football championships and other big sporting events often lead to staff being more distracted than normal and a raft of requests to view matches live.
Here are some top tips:
Do nothing
If employees choose to be absent on that day without taking a holiday they leave themselves open to some form of disciplinary warning for unauthorised absence.
Screen the matches at work
An employer could install a television or projector screen at work so that employees can watch the game and use the occasion as a team-building event – then no one will have to take days off. Alternatively, they can listen to it on the radio. However, you should be aware with either of these options that the correct TV licence or licence from the Performing Rights Society will be required.
Allow flexible working
Another option is to let employees leave early to watch the game, but require them to make up the lost working hours during the week.
Use annual leave
A simple solution is to invite staff to book annual leave if they wish to watch a match.
Make watching the games a perk
The two hours off work that the match will typically take to watch can be used as an incentive based upon individual or group performance.
Avoid discriminating
Employers should be aware that, to avoid discriminating against staff members who are not supporting England, or who are uninterested in football, employers should offer the same concessions to all employees.
“Sporting events like the World Cup can present major headaches for small firms whose employees are understandably excited and want to watch games during work hours,” said the Forum of Private Business’ Head of Policy Matt Goodman. “Work is work and it is important to know when to draw the line on issues such as unauthorised absenteeism and declining productivity, but the sensible approach for both employers and their staff is to be flexible.
“Watching games together in work can help team members to bond, as long as the lost hours are made up later, and firms could consider granting staff time off if cover is available.”
Richard Farrell
Thousands of call centre managers throughout the UK are preparing back-up plans to maintain their customer service levels in case there is a drop in staff levels. All of this year’s games in the tournament will be shown at 12.30, 15.00 or 19.30 BST which places them in the middle of most call centre opening hours.
“Stopping employees from taking part in an event like the World Cup which only takes place every four years is not good for staff morale and is completely unnecessary,” says Netcall’s Chief Technical Officer, Richard Farrell.
Paul Clark, Director for the UK and Ireland, Plantronics: “Last year the British economy lost 27 million working days as a result of bogus “sickies”, costing £2.5 billion. With the World Cup set to start this Friday, and given how passionate fans in the UK are about ‘the beautiful game’, I expect this number will increase significantly.
Paul Clark
“Many businesses have already equipped staff with technologies that support flexible working, such as unified communications, laptops, mobile phones and headsets, enabling employees to work flexibly, and minimise the impact the World Cup might have on their business as a result of absenteeism. In the majority of cases where “sickies” are taken, a few hours leeway would usually avoid the “sickie” being taken in the first place.
“However, without the flexibility, employees are prepared to sacrifice an entire work day to satisfy their need to do something which will in reality only take a couple of hours, be it to have a lie-in after a ‘heavy’ night, waiting for a package to be delivered to their home, or just wanting a couple of hours out of the day to support their country in the World Cup.
