'Football fever' - World Cup absence

Nine out of ten employers have no plans in place to help manage staff absence during the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa.

According to a poll undertaken by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) among 1,000 organisations, a mere 5% have already developed a policy to manage staff absence during the tournament, while a further 5% are currently in the process of developing one.
 
John McGurk, a CIPD adviser, said: “It’s alarming that only 10% of employers are drafting or already have guidance in place to manage absence during the World Cup. Research suggests that when employers demonstrate they care about their staff and their interests outside of work, employees are more likely to go the extra mile for the organisation.”
 
Whatever policies are introduced, it is vital that they are clear and well communicated, he added.
 
The CIPD, meanwhile, has introduced its own guidance entitled ‘The World Cup and Absence Management’. It recommends considering options such as the introduction of flexible working hours, shift swaps, unpaid leave and the special screening of matches on company premises in order to try and cope with potentially high levels of staff absence.
 
The guidance also suggests that employers should make it clear to personnel that they are likely to be disciplined if they take unauthorised time off work without good reason, perform unsatisfactorily or misbehave.