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."
