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Employers need game plan for tackling World Cup absences

12 May 2010

With the World Cup getting under way in South Africa next month, employers need to consider their strategy for keeping control of employee absences during the tournament.

A recent survey of 1,000 employers by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that just 5% of organisations have already drawn up a policy to deal with employees who fail to show up for work during the football extravaganza.

Football fever: Not a legitimate illness

Employers should consider if their business is likely to be particularly affected by the football competition.

The demographic of the workforce in some sectors may mean more employees are likely to be interested in football than others.

Employers need to communicate with all their employees early on and set out clearly what is and is not acceptable behaviour.

It may be helpful to remind employees that ‘throwing a sickie’ during the World Cup will be an unauthorised absence and may result in disciplinary action.

Conversely, the World Cup may be a cheap and easy way to boost staff morale if employers react sympathetically, for example by providing a big screen to show matches on work premises.

Practical suggestions

Employees should be encouraged to book annual leave early to ensure that business needs can still be met.
Consider if, like the supermarket ASDA, you will allow an extra element of flexible working during the competition so that employees can swap shifts, take unpaid leave or temporarily change their hours? If so, communicate this clearly to employees and ensure special arrangements are consistent across the organisation.
Employees may try and keep track of games via the internet, but if large numbers are doing so this could have implications for an organisation’s IT systems. Decide whether you are happy for employees to use your IT systems in this way or whether you will take a zero-tolerance approach.
Although the issue should be easier to manage because there is not a significant time difference between the UK and South Africa (and many will be able to watch matches after work has finished), employees may still be coming to work suffering from lack of sleep and over-indulgence in alcohol the night before. Employers should remember their health and safety duties and assess the likely risks to employees and others as a result. Consider what measures can be put in place to reduce any such risks.
Do you have the space to have a special screening room for matches or will you allow staff to have TV/ radio on in the background? Consider the drawbacks of the latter – will staff find it too distracting and will it cause resentment among staff with no interest in football, but who are having to work harder to compensate for colleagues who do?
Be clear about what is acceptable absence. It may be helpful to issue special guidelines for employees to make clear that being too hungover to make it into work after a big match will not be regarded as a genuine illness and will be treated as unpaid leave.
Remember that not all employees will be interested in the football, and they should not be made to feel excluded if they do not want to get involved.

Summary

The crucial message is that however employers decide to manage the event, policies must be communicated to staff in a timely manner, in advance of any games, and then enforced consistently.

Although the clock is ticking until the first games kick off, consulting with existing employee representatives about your football policy should ensure support from the fans.

Source

CIPD World Cup Absence Management Guidance

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