Acas has issued guidance to help employers get the best from their employees and avoid absence during the football season this summer.

In anticipation of the World Cup, Acas urges employers to start talking to employees early to manage their expectations and minimise the impact on workplace productivity. Acas encourages employers to be:

• Flexible, where possible, for example, by altering start and finish times and allowing longer lunch breaks so that staff can watch games during the working day
• Clear about what is expected from employees in relation to attendance and performance
• Communicative - start talking early on about managing leave and working hours
• Honest about how changes to working practices will be managed and where this isn't possible explain the reasons for this
• Fair about the way requests for time off are dealt with

John Taylor, Acas chief executive, said: "Big sporting occasions can present a number of dilemmas for employers who might be worried about the impact of less productive employees or the after-effects of lively celebrations. Employers need to start planning now to avoid problems later on, check policies and procedures and remind staff how these work in practice."