Expect World Cup sickies, says HR Dept Swindon (From Swindon Advertiser)

Expect World Cup sickies, says HR Dept Swindon

As World Cup Fever starts to heat up, employers may be getting hot under the collar as employees will want to take time off to watch games. Higher levels of absence are expected, after nights out celebrating, or commiserating.

Peter Jones, director of The HR Dept Swindon said employers are not required to grant time off for employees wanting to watch the World Cup.

“Time off can be processed as a normal holiday request and may be rejected if there is a business reason.

“However, if possible, a flexible approach can be beneficial to all. By providing flexible working solutions, employers are able to provide a healthy work life balance which makes for happy, productive employees”.

Asda is planning to introduce a shift-swap scheme allowing employees to rearrange their shifts around different games, providing they can arrange the appropriate cover.

“A clear policy and some planning is essential, “ said Jones.

“The key for any employer is to establish a consistent approach which is fair to all their staff including those who have no interest at all. A policy should be consistent whether an employee loves football or not. Allowing employees to watch specific games but not others, for instance England matches, may mean that an employer discriminates against an employee who supports another team”.

But where do you draw the line? What about other sporting events?

Jones suggests that it’s unrealistic to cover every sporting event; the key is to be reasonable.

“Some events are more widely publicised than others, like the World Cup, but there may well be other events that employees support and it’s important to be consistent in your approach to everyone.”

The HR Dept Swindon specialises in advising small and medium sized businesses on all employment issues. www.hrdept.co.uk