The World Cup only comes around every four years and is exciting for everyone and not just football fans. In the world of business, football isn’t usually a concern, as the Premier League passes by every year leaving the workplace undisturbed. The greatest celebration of football talent and patriotism, which is carried with a competition such as this, brings together the most hardened of office workers. So where does this leave business owners and policy makers? Do businesses go with the flow and get in to the spirit, or do they go against the status quo and swat away the metaphorical Brazilian bee?
The buzz of this year’s World Cup is in full swing; therefore directors need to decide early on what their strategy will be and if there will be any allowances for this one-off event. International events like these have seen hikes in absentees from the workplace, with a whopping 42.5% rise in staff absence on the day England played Algeria in the 2010 World Cup. Not only this, but there’s often a knock-on effect, with staff needing the day off after that to recover. Kick-off times this year are 5pm, 9pm and 11pm, with the latest game being played on a Saturday. So offices should only be slightly affected by the earliest game, if at all.
This could be an opportunity for businesses to embrace the excitement of the tournament and encourage their staff to get involved and not miss out. Some companies implement flexible working options; allowing staff to make the time up at the beginning or end of the day. By screening England’s games and promoting it around offices that finish at 17.30, staff may be distracted but only for half an hour at the end of the day. Companies need to be open about their plans for the World Cup and it’s a chance for them to remind employees about company policy and expectations on attendance. At SilverDoor, we’ll be airing every match on all our TVs around the offices, but we don’t expect working levels to drop. What is your company doing to accommodate the World Cup? Let us know in the comments section below.
