Every four years or so, members of staff mysteriously absent themselves from the office for the nearest pub with a big screen to watch the latest World Cup game. If England go all the way, the tension will be unbearable for those who are interested in the beautiful game, and unendurable for those who aren’t.
The first two England fixtures seem to have evening kick-offs, one on a Saturday and the next on a Friday, so the chances of staff phoning in sick with sore heads the next day are minimised, at first at least. England then plays Slovenia on Wednesday 23rd June at 3pm UK time. ACAS has published guidance for employers for this crucial period between the 11th June and 11th July, and their watchword is ‘use teamwork to get the best out of each other and, where possible, find compromises that will keep everyone happy’. Its advice to employers is to be:
- Flexible, where possible - for example, by altering start and finish times during the working day or allowing longer lunch breaks
- Clear about what you expect from employees - in terms of attendance and performance during the World Cup. Managing employees expectations of what might be possible is key to keeping them onside
- Communicative - start talking to each other now about the World Cup and how you hope to manage leave and working hours
- Honest - if you cannot accommodate any changes to your work practices then say so. Also, you may need to remind employees that any special arrangements for watching matches are only temporary
- Fair - you need to be seen to be fair about the way you respond to requests for time off and avoid favouritism.
It’s worth keeping an eye on any games which may clash with work, and to remind staff if necessary that throwing a sickie after games will be frowned upon. Remember, many members of staff may support other national sides, and should be treated equally with England supporters. Enjoy!
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