There was much celebration last night after England secured their place in Sundays Euro 2020 final. After a very long wait to see England reach a major men’s final spirits are high and for many there is great excitement about the forthcoming match. With millions expected to cheer on the action and an 8pm kick-off that could see celebrations (or commiserations) late into the evening, it’s important for employers to have a strategy to tackle some football related matters!
1. Employees ‘pulling a sickie’
Tiredness, a hangover, shouting themselves hoarse, not done celebrating yet (or too disappointed to get out of bed) there are many reasons employees may be tempted to ‘pull a sickie’ on the Monday morning. To try to reduce the likelihood of this happening employers may want to gently remind employees that they are expected to attend work as usual the day after the final (in person or remotely as the case may be), unless they have one of the usual acceptable reasons for not doing so.
2. Dealing with absence / lateness
If an employee calls in sick/is late, you should follow the usual process of dealing with them. Remember that whilst the timing may look suspicious unfortunate events can befall people at any time so it’s important not to jump to conclusions. If you suspect there is not a genuine reason behind the lateness / absence, you should call Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd for advice on the facts of your case.
3. A rush to book annual leave
Some employees may wish to enjoy the final free from the thought of having to get up for work on the Monday so you may get a flurry of annual leave requests. If this is the case, it’s important to deal with them fairly and consistently. If employees are asking for holiday at shorter notice than is usually required under your holiday request procedure and you are unsure whether to grant it, you should contact Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd to discuss your situation.
4. Celebrations at work
If (or as some may prefer to say – when) England win, the final fans will be in a jubilant mood – this can be great for employers if the positive energy can be ploughed into work as it can contribute to good performance. That said, it’s important for managers to ensure that things don’t get out of hand, for example that banter doesn’t go too far and make other people feel uncomfortable, remember not everyone will be supporting England or even be interested in football.
If you have an employment law matter you would like assistance with, please do not hesitate to contact Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd.
For those of you who will be watching the match on Sunday, we hope you enjoy it and for those of you who are trying to escape the topic we wish you luck with that!