Employers should remind staff of acceptable boundaries in relation to viewing the World Cup during work hours, a HR expert has advised.
With matches now being streamed online, both video and audio, Jayn Bond, head of HR at the Workplace Law Group, believes it’s imperative for employers to clarify the parameters if what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of watching or listening to matches at work and the punishments for transgressing.
And now that people can watch matches on smart phones too, there’s more cause for business owners to be vigilant, she believes.
Matches are kicking off at 12.30pm and 3pm every day during the initial group stages of the tournament, which last for two weeks. Even the evening games are a potential problem because of people going to the pub to watch games – great news for pubs but not so great for other businesses.
Fortunately for employers, England’s next game is an 8pm kick off on Friday. However, their final group game is 4pm next Wednesday, so employers will be under pressure to allow employees to finish early or watch the game at work.
Jayn Bond advises companies to be clear with managers and staff about the relevant policies in advance. "The key to these situations is to decide what is acceptable or unacceptable to the employer before it happens and ensure that staff are aware of the boundaries," she says.
Give staff the opportunity to book holiday if they are keen to watch the match and make them aware that watching the match on the internet in working time would be considered a disciplinary offence
Jayn Bond, HR head at Workplace Law Group
"Give staff the opportunity to book holiday if they are keen to watch the match and make them aware that watching the match on the internet in working time would be considered a disciplinary offence. It is important that the rules are clear and then no one can claim that they were not made aware of any possible consequences."
Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling believes that punitive policies can be counterproductive: "Just as businesses have embraced broadband, they need to accept that sometimes it will be a hindrance in the workplace as well as a help. It's best to accept the situation by giving employees options, instead of trying to rule with an iron fist.
"Perhaps you could set up a room where staff can watch the games, as long as they make up the hours later in the day, or at the weekend. This will keep your business moving, reduce downtime and promote goodwill with staff."
Marling, however, is keen to stress that being overly accommodating can create problems. "It's important to remember the staff who have no interest in football – you shouldn't be too lenient, as others may start to feel they are unfairly missing out on an office perk," he says. "Try to give your staff opportunities to see the games they want to watch, while making it clear that they will make up for the time off in full."
However, BusinessWings found employers were less anxious about the prospect of the World Cup distracting staff than media reports have suggested. Many pointed out that the tournament was a good opportunity to try out flexible working practices and could boost morale.
