This weekend sees the start of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will end on 18 December
England have a least 3 games to play which take place on:
- Monday 21 November against Iran with a 1pm (UK time) kick off
- Friday 25 November against USA at 7pm
- Tuesday 29 November against Wales at 7pm
On the face of it these England games will not impact ‘usual’ working hours too much, but what if:
- Employees support one of the other teams
- Not everyone works a Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:30pm schedule
We’ve put together some team tactics to keep your staff onside during the tournament.
Holiday requests
You may find you receive several short notice requests for leave for the same time. If you can’t accommodate everyone, you need to ensure all requests are dealt with fairly and you manage employees’ expectations as to whether staff will get the time off. If you already have a leave system in place this shouldn’t really be a problem.
Be flexible
Why not allow some flexibility in work start times after football match nights? Better to have a refreshed workforce who put in their full day’s work after a late start than a tired hungover group of zombies clock watching to the end of the normal working day?!
Pulling a sickie instead of a hamstring
Non-genuine sickness absence may increase if staff can’t have holiday to watch the football. We think (hope?!) this is not really a common occurrence but if you notice a pattern of ‘sickies’ that correlate with football matches, deal with this in the same way as you would any other issues regarding non-genuine sickness absence – this will usually be your disciplinary procedure!
Avoid problems caused by excessive internet use
If a large proportion of employees stream a match to their desktops, there could be an effect on your IT network, as well as on general productivity levels. Employers should remind staff of any policy about internet use, whether or not they decide to relax this in relation to the football and should keep an eye out for excessive use.
Screen the matches
Showing the games at work and allow your staff to watch them and make the time up at a later date. Make sure you are covered for TV licencing TV Licence for businesses & organisations – TV Licensing ™ if you do and remind the staff of your alcohol policy beforehand, this is still the workplace not the pub!
Make sure employees know what is expected of them
To avoid issues such as misconduct and possible harassment, employers must make sure that employees are aware of the rules in advance of the tournament. A sporting events policy, or a memo circulated to staff, could cover annual leave requests, internet use, absence monitoring, out of work behaviour and a range of other points, to ensure that all employees know what special measures are in place.
You may still have a hybrid or remote workforce, don’t forget to remind those remote workers of your expectations during the World Cup.
Don’t discriminate
Some employees will have no interest at all in the World Cup. Not everyone who does will be supporting England. Employers need to make sure that no other groups are disadvantaged by their policies during the tournament. For example, in the way they handle requests for time off or flexible working to watch matches. Employers also need to take steps to prevent behaviour that could amount to discrimination.
Given the issue surrounding the location of the World Cup this year you may have employees who have strong opinions and feelings about some of the issues that have been highlighted, in particular this may have a greater impact on LGBTQ+ members of your team. Ensure that that you continue to foster a culture of respect and sensitivity towards this.
We have a two-home-nations match in the England group, employers should also be aware of the potential ‘banter’ between colleagues. Whilst it may all be said in jest, passionate fans may also upset their co-workers with unkind comments. Remind your staff to respect each other even if they are on the losing side….but given the passion for the beautiful game we’d suggest never saying “it’s just a game”!
Should England progress, consider allowing employees to follow matches during working hours.
It’s worth being aware that all later stage games will have a 3pm or 7pm kick off and if England make it all the way to the final it will be played on a Sunday.
The world cup can give employers a great opportunity to increase staff engagement and morale. Recognising that allowing staff to follow matches during working hours will be very important to some employees. Where possible. introducing some flexibility to allow this will be a big hit.
C’mon England!!!!
….other national teams are available :😉