It is unlikely to have escaped your notice that the World Cup is on its way from 11th June. As it is taking place in Canada, Mexico and the USA, the time difference will mean some tense evenings / early mornings for fans. This could pose some challenges for business, so here are a few things to be ready to tackle.
- Holiday requests / shift swapping
- Absenteeism
- Reduced performance
1. Holiday requests / shift swapping
You may find you get an uptick in requests for holiday during the World Cup period, particularly on the day of, or following, a key match with some employees keen to make the most of it.
If this happens in your business, remember:
- All requests should be dealt with fairly and consistently;
- You can of course refuse a holiday request where there are business grounds to do so and the request cannot be accommodated;
- Requests should be made and dealt with promptly and in the usual way.
If your employees work shifts, rather than requesting holiday they may try to swap shifts with colleagues to see the match(es) they are interested in or in anticipation of needing to recover from a late night.
You may want to take the opportunity to remind your employees of your Company rules regarding this. Specifically, whether shift swapping is permitted or not, and if it is allowed, what procedure (if any) employees are required to follow.
2. Absenteeism and lateness
Some employers may be concerned they will experience an increase in absenteeism / lateness during the World Cup, for example employees calling in sick because they are tired or hung-over from the previous night. Absence / lateness during the World Cup period should be treated in the same way as at any other time.
For an employee who has called in sick
This would normally involve requiring them to complete a self-certification form (where the absence has been for seven days or less) and holding a return to work interview with them. Where there is good reason to suspect they were not genuinely ill, it may be possible to take disciplinary action but it is important to seek advice on the situation you are dealing with before acting.
If an employee is running late
They should contact you in accordance with your policy to let you know. Sometimes managers are unsure what they can ask in such a situation, this should usually include when the employee expects to arrive, the reason for the lateness and whether there is any urgent work that needs to be picked up. If lateness is out of character for the employee and they have a good reason, it is unlikely that any further action will be necessary or appropriate. If your situation is different, for example the employee has a persistent lateness problem, please get in touch for specific advice.
3. Reduced performance – the day after the night before
For businesses worried that employees will work through tiredness or hangovers instead of taking time off, affecting performance – if you notice a drop in standards or mistakes, raise it with the employee first to understand the cause. Keep an open mind, as poor performance can have many underlying reasons. If you still have concerns or need further help with a poor performance issue, please get in touch.