Britons are crazy about football and the upcoming month-long World Cup has made employers in the UK very nervous about its impact. The World Cup will be held in South Africa between June 11 and July 11.
The interest in watching football matches is so high that British employers are being advised on formulating a World Cup leave policy to avoid conflict with their staff. The worry about absenteeism has extended to misuse of sick leave by staff to watch matches and due to hangovers caused by excess drinking.
“Both employers and their staff need to look at celebrating the World Cup realistically. Employers need to be aware of the impact that unplanned absence could have on their ability to trade and employees need to know that throwing a sickie rather than asking for time off could result in disciplinary procedures,” Federation of Small Businesses’ policy chair Mike Cherry said. “Do not forget that not everyone supports England and not all football fans are male. There are 32 teams participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and football has a strong female following,” according to the advice published by FSB, an association with 213,000 members. Not just employers and bosses, the month-long tournament will have a significant influence on the London stock market. British academics from the Universities of Bangor, Leeds and Newcastle have revealed that the FTSE 100 index changed significantly the day after 290 England international football games between 1984 and 2009. “Stockbrokers, like everyone else, can be carried away in the depression associated with an England loss at the World Cup,” Newcastle University Prof. Robert Hudson said.