Businesses across Sheffield are being offered free advice on how to avoid employment issues caused by the World Cup as the tournament begins this weekend.
The guidance, produced by the FSB and Abbey Legal Protection, outlines instructions and advice specifically tailored to help small businesses cope with potential absences and staffing issues throughout the month long competition.
Gordon Millward, regional chairman of the FSB outlined: “"The World Cup only comes round every four years so we should all be able to enjoy it as much as possible. Employers need to start engaging with their staff to make sure they put plans in place to cater for those employees that want to watch the football, as well as those that don't and might want to work overtime.”
Guidelines within the advice for local businesses include:
· Granting employees special unpaid leave
· Where possible, putting in place a flexible working system on match days so that staff can watch the matches by, for example, granting them a longer break or allowing them to come into work later or leave earlier and make the time up
· Allowing staff to listen to matches on the radio or watch the TV at work
· Not discriminating when deciding which matches to grant time off and not favouring your male employees over your female employees
· Putting in place a requirement that employees who phone in sick on key match days (or post-match days) provide medical evidence of their sickness absence
Gordon went on to add that firms who set out clear guidelines to their staff in advance of the tournament would reap the most rewards: “Sorting out these issues before the first game kicks off means everyone can relax and enjoy the matches, while making sure jobs still get done in the workplace. Firms and their staff can reap the reward of the feel good factor that accompanies the World Cup without any disputes dampening the party atmosphere.”
