Workplace absence during EURO 2024

by | Jun 27, 2024 | HR Blog

This blog is written by Val Robinson, HR Consultant and McKinney HR Associate.
It’s an exciting summer for sports fans in 2024, with Euro 2024, the Paris Olympics and Wimbledon being particular highlights.

However major sporting events can present a unique challenge for businesses, with a potential spike in absenteeism where employees are tempted to take a “sickie” to watch events, or to recover from celebrating their team’s success (or commiserating their loss!).

It’s important to acknowledge the passion people have for sport, but also important to ensure productivity and team morale are not negatively impacted, for example when colleagues are burdened with picking up the slack.

Here’s how effective HR policies and strategies can be used to manage the situation.

Flexible Working – implementing flexible work hours during the events can be a win-win. For example, allowing employees to start/finish earlier or later can accommodate game-watching without impacting work responsibilities
Remote Working – if feasible offering remote working can be a good solution. It allows employees to manage their time effectively and still meet their work obligations
Designated Viewing Areas – creating a space at work where employees can watch important matches or events can foster a sense of community, boost morale and allow businesses to monitor productivity
Encourage use of annual leave – as this will ultimately allow the business to proactively plan for absence rather than react to unplanned sickness absence

Whichever strategies businesses decide to use, they should clearly communicate the expectations on employees and signpost them to the appropriate HR policies, such as Leave policies, or Disciplinary or Sickness Absence policies which can be applied in the event of non-compliance.

Adopting transparent and up to date HR policies can prevent misunderstandings and ensure everyone is on the same page. As Summer 2024 sports events kick off let’s aim for a goal where both employers and employees feel like winners!!

For a review or update of HR policies, please contact support@mckinneyhr.co.uk