Did your employees show up for work today?
HR Leaders Say The Big Game Hits This Monday
Although the festivities have been scaled back greatly this year, that doesn’t mean football fans didn’t party the night away anyway. An estimated 17.5 million employees miss work on Monday after the big game. That’s about $4 billion in lost productivity for companies, says a survey by the Workforce Institute at Kronos Inc. Often referred to as the “Big Game Fever,” there is still a great push for the day after the Big Game to become a National holiday. In fact, according to a poll from DraftKings, nearly half of people surveyed said they would be willing to give up another holiday during the year to get the Monday after the Big Game off work without using personal vacation time.
Most businesses do operate as usual the Monday after the Big Game, so those that choose to take the day off will need to use a day from their Paid Time Off (PTO) accumulation. Workers should refer to their Employee Handbook for their company’s policies and procedures. While it’s not required by law for every business to have one, it’s undoubtedly the best way to have written documentation of specific workplace rights. Companies that want to ensure their policies and procedures are up-to-date and in compliance, turn to HR experts, like Flex HR to review their current Handbook or create an entirely new one. A company Handbook ultimately safeguards your business; particularly should any legal matters arise.
54% of professionals know someone who’s called in sick or made an excuse for skipping work the day after a major sporting event. *
It will be interesting to see how the numbers of those that take the day off in 2021 will compare with previous years since so many companies still have their staff working remotely as the COVID-19 pandemic lingers. Regardless, unplanned absenteeism leads to problems for organizations. Productivity outstandingly takes the biggest hit, but there are additional challenges such as replacement costs and direct costs, and employee pay that also take a toll on the business. Surprisingly more than one-third of senior-level/executive leaders said they may not work their normal hours on Monday after the Super Bowl, compared to 20 percent of junior and mid-level employees who are more uncomfortable about the consequences of not showing up for work. Thus, managers have to pick up the work of those who have taken the day off, forcing them to become less efficient in their own day.
Some businesses are finally thinking ahead to the Monday after the Big Game, realizing this setback, and have implemented a plan of action to fill the gaps in anticipation of those employee’s that request to take Monday off, or potentially call out of work. Other organizations are rewarding those that do show up by offering their workers donuts or bagels for breakfast that morning or even catering a pizza lunch in to encourage a lighter environment the next day.
*Source: OfficeTeam online survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers employed in office environments and more than 2,800 senior managers at organizations with 20 or more employees in 28 major U.S. cities.
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