Employers are being warned to expect a spike in employee absenteeism surrounding the World Cup, being prepared for the possibility can lessen the impact on productivity.
Australia’s third World Cup bid is likely to have an impact beyond tired faces at the office. Employees are likely to watch replays on computers in the office, have post match “pow wows”, track their tipping competitions, as well as participate in online forums – particularly as the final approaches.
There are likely to be some very “late starts” or people “calling in sick” during the tournament, especially after Australia’s match against Serbia at 4:30am on Thursday 24th June, and the final match which airs at 4:30am on Monday 12th July.
And in a country with such a diverse culture, it won’t just be the Socceroos people are tuning in to see. England’s World Cup games, for example, will be just as well-watched by Australia’s significant British population.
Randstad’s Chief Executive Officer, Deb Loveridge says, “Some businesses, especially those which are tightly resourced and still trying to build up from the GFC, may find World Cup Fever to be irritating and a major distraction to achieving their goals. However, instead of dampening people’s spirits and expressing your frustration, it’s actually an ideal time to embrace the spirit of the sport, have fun and build employee morale through celebration and a culture of teamwork.
“Allowing people to express their emotions and be passionate about this global sporting event can have a positive impact on their overall happiness and mental attitude in the workplace. Themed marketing and business development activities can also be effective tools to generate sales and build stronger relationships with staff and customers,” says Loveridge.
“There’s no doubt the World Cup will affect productivity on both a local and global scale. One of the key things employers should consider is to monitor pre-agreed leave days and plan effectively to ensure projects are resourced at normal levels.
“Meetings, projects and deadlines may require flexibility or rescheduling, particularly if staff working on these projects are avid football fans. Temporary staff can fill the gaps where needed. If business leaders understand that work may stand still or ‘dribble’ along, then they may be more inclined to get behind the spirit of the sport and join in the celebration with their people,” adds Loveridge.
