The footballing extravaganza that is the FIFA World Cup is due to begin on 12th June and no matter how well organised a workplace is, there’s no doubt that the competition is going to have some impact on productivity.
From the most committed football fans through to those who just enjoy a big occasion, at times like these most employers are going to find themselves dealing with a larger than normal number of requests for time off, sick days and complaints about not being able to watch matches. Of course there is a balance to be struck to make sure that both employers and employees end up happy – so what is the fair approach?
The starting point is that there is no obligation on employers to give their workforce time off to watch the World Cup matches. However, it’s worth bearing in mind the damage to workplace relations that could result from blanket banning any time off, as well as the fact that this is a great opportunity to show staff a more flexible and personable side of the business that they work for. Allowing staff to watch or listen to matches in the office could be great for boosting team morale and is a much better alternative to lots of empty desks as a result of ‘sick days’ being taken.
Just like any other time of year when there are likely to be a large number of employees looking to be off at the same time, employers are well advised to have a plan for leave requests during the World Cup.
Try to analyse in advance the numbers of people likely to request time off during the tournament and then formulate a plan to deal with it. This could include allowing a certain number to take annual leave in specific blocks of time, offering unpaid leave, or giving people who want to be at home to see games the chance to swap hours with those who don’t. You might even want to use this period to trial a flexible working scheme (the new flexible working rules come into force on 30 June and will allow anyone who has been at the company for six months to request flexible working – this is no longer restricted to carers).
Businesses should take a flexible approach to staff absence but that does not mean being soft. If employees push too far – for example, simply not showing up for work the morning after a late night match or even turning up still drunk – boundaries need to be enforced as at any other time. Be clear on what is acceptable, make sure staff know that absences will be monitored and that disciplinary action isn’t suspended simply because of the World Cup.
There are also a number of practicalities to consider – for example, if a large number of people are streaming matches online this will affect your internet speeds and you will need a TV licence if anyone in the office is watching a match on a TV.
If you’re organising events in the office then make sure you have the right insurance and ensure health and safety requirements are observed. Finally, try to avoid a situation where there is conflict – passions can run high where national teams are concerned and there will likely be numerous different nationalities in your workplace.
Don’t just allow watching of the England games - but others too - consider carefully whether banners and flags are acceptable at work and think twice about allowing people to come to work in their team shirts, as this is often where the conflict begins.