8 July slumber
With several high profile sporting events clashing on the same day, 8th July is set to be Britain’s most unproductive day this summer, new research by HR & payroll provider Moorepay has revealed.
Wimbledon, the British Formula 1 Grand Prix practice sessions and the Tour de France all take place during working hours on Friday 8th July and, following one of the EURO 2016 semi-finals the previous day, absences will spike while productivity is set to plummet, warns Moorepay.
One-third of the UK workforce is planning on watching these sporting events while at work, with one in six (17 per cent) admitting that their productivity will drop as a result. Business owners, on the other hand, are underestimating the impact these events will have on their staff, with three-quarters (79%) believing productivity in their company will be unaffected.
With, on average, 10 per cent of staff on leave any given week throughout July and August, and nearly one in ten employees planning on calling in sick to watch sporting events, businesses will face staff shortages and prolonged dips in productivity this summer.
“It’s important for UK companies of all sizes to consider the most appropriate way of managing the busy summer of sporting events in 2016,” said Alison Dodd, managing director of Moorepay. “The impact of lower employee engagement, absence, and loss of focus in the current business climate could be devastating for business performance, particularly among SMEs.”
Worryingly, over two-thirds of businesses (69%) currently don’t have a clear policy in place that allows their employees to watch these sporting events while at work. Overall, male employees will be twice as unproductive as their female co-workers this summer (22 per cent against 12 per cent).
“Planning ahead, and reviewing or implementing flexible working policies over this period is one way employers can not only mitigate any potential losses in productivity but also bolster employee engagement by considering the needs of both parties,” Alison Dodd concluded.
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