Offering ‘free’ time off to watch the England matches could encourage employees to work longer hours to return the favour.
According to Jonathan Jay, founder of the National Association of Business Owners (NABO), an alliance of small business owners spread throughout the UK, businesses should embrace World Cup skiving and allow employees to watch England matches in the knock-out stages.
Businesses should embrace World Cup skiving and allow employees to watch England matches in the knock-out stages
Jay says: “Skiving off for sports events like this is a problem for businesses, but you can turn it to your advantage. Instead of fighting your employees’ desire to keep up with a once-every-four-year event, you can use it as a morale booster by offering the time off in addition to their holiday allowance.
“Keep it to the knock out stages and the actual amount of time off that you’ll be offering it minimal. Thanks to the time difference only two matches in the finals – assuming England get there – clash with working hours, says Jay. “Better yet, with the matches starting at 3pm, only an afternoon off will be required.”
Jonathan believes by giving employees those six-or-so hours off, the equivalent ‘man hours’ will be paid back several times over.
“Look at it this way, when the match is on, football fans in your work force won’t be concentrating on their work anyway – they either won’t show up or will have one eye (or ear) on the game,” Jay says. “If you just give them the time off in addition to their holiday allowance they will be so pleased that you have done this ‘entirely selfless un-boss-like thing’ the feeling of wanting to return the favour will last for days, if not weeks – especially if the time off allowed them to catch England securing their spot in the next round!”
Jonathan Jay has come up with the following guidelines for offering this little bonus:
- Offer the time off to the non-football fans as well, but ask them to take the time when the matches aren’t on
- Offer it to everyone: it’s a reward for your best employees and, hopefully, a little boost for those who aren’t doing so well
- Decide how many matches they will be allowed to watch of the finals (two is plenty, since only two will clash with work time) and let them decide which they want to watch.
- To really make the most of the morale boost, offer the time in addition to their holiday allowance
- If doing this would mean closing your business for two afternoons, still give it some thought. Think of the interest you’ll gain, rather than the loan!
