Almost 90 per cent of HR directors think the World Cup will have no impact
on absenteeism, even though most employees intend to watch games during working
hours, research finds.
The survey of 100 HR directors from FTSE 500 companies by Deloitte &
Touche also finds that more than three-quarters do not have employee policies
for watching the tournament.
The research, which included responses from more than 500 employees, reveals
that 64 per cent of staff are planning to watch games broadcasted during work
hours. Nearly a third planning to watch games will do so illicitly and nearly
one in 10 plan to call in sick.
More than 90 per cent of HR directors surveyed said they would not allow
employees to return to work after drinking.
Jon Clark, human capital consultant at Deloitte & Touche, said: "It
is worrying so few HR directors have established a formal policy to manage the
demand to watch the World Cup tournament.
"If one employee in 10 calls in sick it could cause severe disruption
to business."
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Of those organisations which do have a clear World Cup policy, more than a
quarter plan to allow employees to follow the action during work time.
