How to manage world cup matches in work time could be tricky. With the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting this week, expect coffee breaks, lunches and hallway chats to be dominated by talk of this, for some, a beautiful game. 
Football can be a powerful icebreaker, allowing employees to transcend job titles. It is inevitable that some employees will want to keep up with the latest scores during working hours – ten games in the group stages will take place during European working hours.
Don’t worry though, this doesn’t have to be a waste of time and resources.
According to Gallup’s 2017 global survey, only 15% of full-time workers are truly engaged at work. Almost a quarter of employees surveyed by recruitment agency Adecco said they don’t think their employer tries to improve their happiness. The best predictor of workplace satisfaction, according to the Glassdoor research group, is the culture and values of the organisation, while compensation and benefits were consistently rated among the least important factors.
The World Cup is a timely opportunity to engage workers. With an estimated audience of 3.5 billion worldwide, it’s the most-watched sporting event in TV history. Beyond the excitement of the tournament, it brings people together and allows them to bond with colleagues outside their normal work tasks.
Employees will be more productive because they return to their desks energised. Emotions are likely to run high during games, resulting in a more informal and relaxed environment. These environments are known to enhance employees’ motivation, because they want to come to work.
Committed employees perform better and are less likely to switch jobs, showing that satisfied employees drive business results. Inspired employees are almost three times more productive than dissatisfied employees.
How to Manage World Cup Matches in Work Time
Companies may benefit from enhanced innovation since relaxed, friendly, and fun environments spur creative thinking and good ideas. A fun and pleasant work environment encourages employees to form connections beyond the people they mostly associate with, such as their specific team or age group. Besides discussing semi-final results, employees can learn more about each other’s job functions and will, in turn, be better able to support each other, saving time and helping implement good ideas more effectively.
Boost employee engagement through World Cup mania by encouraging conversations about the event. Don’t monitor or try to stop watching games during business hours – this will just make your staff resent you. Instead, engage with what’s going on. You could organise a TV screen in the office. Get competitive and sponsor a sweepstake on the outcome of the tournament. A real competition within the organisation will get people involved at a deeper level. Making predictions fun and highly engaging.
Why not put proceeds from the competition to charity? This can increase employee engagement and a sense of purpose. Add a prize to increase participation from those who do not normally bother with football fanatics.
A Cautionary Note
Whilst encouraging football mania can be a great people investment, please be aware that some employees may still not be interested in football mania. Try to remain inclusive of those who may believe the event is not catering to them. If employees really don’t wish to join in because they just cannot stand football, don’t bully or force them to do so. A word of caution; make sure this doesn’t ostracize the football hater with the rest of the workforce. Maybe offer them an alternative form of employee engagement when the workplace is watching ‘the match’. This will help to create your own in-house engagement for everyone.
If you want to find out more about employee engagement or how to manage world cup matches in work time, give us a call – 01706 565332
Metis HR is a professional HR Consultancy based in the North West of England supporting clients across the country. Metis HR specialises in providing outsourced HR services to small and medium-sized businesses. Call us now on 01706 565332 or email us to discuss how we may help you.
