Employers are being urged to screen today’s Euro 2016 clash between England and Wales at work, to help motivate staff.
Today, the two British sides will meet at 2pm, with the match being described as a must win for England.
A report by The Institute of Leadership and Management says that employees believed that watching this year’s top sporting events in the office, would have a positive effect on their work and morale.
The business group surveyed 1,100 of its members and around a third said that productivity would increase if televisions are brought into the office to watch the matches.
Human resources directors are expecting workers to call in sick or to come up with an excuse for not turning up the day after a big match, according to a report from recruitment firm Robert Half. Their survey also found that the UK comes second in a Euro league table of sporting sickies.
Firms are being advised to introduce flexible working practices at their organisations, to allow sports fans to be able to make up the hours after Euro 2016 matches finish.
Big sporting tournaments are a common time when employers see a rise in unauthorised absences and sickness, as many workers think it is the only way they will be able to watch the game.
Businesses could end up losing out when their sport mad employees focus their attention on the big matches. But with some forward planning and incorporating big matches into the firm’s events calendar, employers could actually see a good impact on employee morale and job satisfaction. Introducing flexible and remote working, and late starts, could help employees to balance their work obligations with making sure they can still enjoy the tournament.
Legally, as an employer, you are not required to allow your staff time off work to watch the tournament. You should still take any unauthorised absences as seriously as usual. Workers who take unauthorised time off during could be required to submit a medical note and attend an interview when they return to work.
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