Will Your Employees Be Skipping Work to Tune into Euro 2024 Games?

With the highly anticipated the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament commencing on June 14th, the nation is brimming with excitement. This event, celebrated for its display of strategy, agility, and teamwork, also poses a potential challenge for businesses due to the expected increase in workplace absence.

As employees want to watch all the action, it can be tempting to call in sick. Increased absenteeism at work during sporting events such as the UEFA Euro 2024 can be a big headache for organisations across all sectors. Unplanned absences can be a penalty for productivity and a red card for your bottom line.

Absenteeism at Work

Workplace absence is a problem for every organisation, and the operational impacts have never been felt more strongly. From increased labour costs to increased workload and stress on staff, unplanned absences are a big problem.

Throw a big sporting event into the mix, and the issue of workplace absences grows. During the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, employees are anticipated to take unplanned absences to watch a crucial game or recover from one the next day.

The days of England matches will likely see a spike in workplace absences. So, what can organisations do to help prevent their teams from taking sick days?

How can Workforce Management Reduce Absenteeism?

Everyone has a life outside of work, and employees at all levels deserve to take time off when needed. However, workplace absences should be planned to avoid gaps in coverage.

Like football managers, people managers should operate with open communication and trust to get the best from their teams. By planning ahead for workplace absence, managers can schedule employees accordingly to avoid disruptions to business operations.

This emphasis on open communication and trust can create a sense of reassurance and security, knowing that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal.

Organisations across all sectors can utilise technology to foster a great workplace culture. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can develop the ultimate game plan for the UEFA Euro 2024.

Simplify Scheduling

Your people deserve schedules that meet their life-work needs. However, you must also manage and adhere to compliance and safety standards. Flexible scheduling absence management solutions stand out because they are designed to handle the unique challenges of managing a workforce during major events like the UEFA Euro 2024.

Scheduling solutions not only ensure your teams are in the right positions at the right time but also take into account the potential for increased absenteeism and the need for quick schedule adjustments.

It’s a balance that works for your people and your business. Modern scheduling solutions can help communicate schedules quickly and empower employees to swap shifts or request coverage. Giving employees these tools can help reduce absenteeism at work, especially during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.

Flexible Working

The increasing prevalence of flexible and hybrid working was born out of necessity, but it is here to stay. From an employee perspective, the benefits of flexibility are quite obvious, especially during significant sporting events such as the UEFA Euro 2024.

It allows employees to better integrate home and work commitments, self-manage shifts and holidays and select the times and locations in which they prefer to work. This gives employees the feeling of being valued and in control.

From an employer perspective, empowering employees to feel valued and in control will make them more engaged, productive and supportive. This will lead to improved cost control, productivity and agility. It will also help reduce workplace absences during the UEFA Euro 2024.

Developing the Ultimate Game Plan

Absence is a natural part of any business, but organisations that embrace and adopt better workforce management strategies and solutions will be better placed to lead their teams to victory and reduce the impact of workplace absence during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.

As we gear up for the thrilling matches of the UEFA Euro 2024, let’s draw inspiration to create workplaces that are as dynamic and united as the teams on the field. With workforce management solutions, your business can score big and celebrate every victory as one team.

While a challenge for every sector, our survey report explores the real impact of absenteeism on retail operations and employee engagement. Download our white paper to find out more.