Something for the weekend: Almost three-quarters (73%) of UK employer respondents think it is likely staff will call in sick or make an excuse to miss work the day after a UEFA European Championship game, according to research by Robert Half.
Its survey of 1,600 HR directors also found that 79% of German respondents feel employees are likely to skip work following this year’s football fixtures.
Respondents in other parts of Europe are less sceptical, or perhaps more idealistic; 69% of respondents in France and 63% in Belgium believe employees are likely to phone in sick or miss work the day after a Euro 2016 match.
However, absence is not the only thing on HR executives’ minds. Almost nine in 10 (88%) respondents believe there are advantages to engaging employees through sporting events, including improved employee motivation (46%) and enhanced staff engagement levels (41%).
Phil Sheridan, UK senior managing director at Robert Half UK, said: “As excitement for the UEFA tournament builds, employers who plan ahead and incorporate the matches into their [organisation's] events calendar will benefit from an increase in employee morale and job satisfaction. Other activities to consider include flexible work schedules, remote working and late starts to balance work priorities with national pride over the course of the tournament.”
The Employee Benefits team has drawn Portugal and Slovakia in the office Euro 2016 sweepstakes, so our chances range from potential dark horse of the competition to a slim-to-none likelihood of winning…