Flexible working can help Shropshire firms avoid sporting hurdles
Flexibility will be a Shropshire business owner’s best friend in order to deal with staff absenteeism during a busy summer of sport, a local employment law specialist has claimed.
With a packed schedule of sporting events set to be held over the coming weeks, kicking off with the European Football Championships in Poland and Ukraine early in June, followed by the London Olympics and other favourites such as Wimbledon and Test Match Cricket, it’s vital firms across the county have robust plans in place to deal with staff requests for time off.
Ryan Bickham of PCB Solicitors has urged company owners to adopt a proactive approach to ensure staff can continue to carry out their day-to-day duties, whilst also giving them the opportunity to enjoy the sporting festivities, either by simply watching or by volunteering.
“Summer holidays already place great pressure on employers, with many staff requiring annual leave to look after their children,” Ryan said. “And with a major football tournament and an Olympic Games held right on our doorstep this summer, this demand will only be heightened. Surveys suggest that more than one in five staff will be tempted to throw a ‘sickie’ to watch a big event in the coming months, so it’s crucial employers do all they can now to prepare and avoid disruption, absenteeism, and a drop in productivity.”
Ryan suggests firms should adopt flexible working practices such as enabling staff to work remotely from home, work flexi-time hours, or job share, while he also advocates initiatives such as offering longer lunch hours or even staging special parties to enable staff to watch some of the main events – although he does remind businesses to ensure they have a valid TV license if they are planning on allowing staff to watch events in the office.
“Parents, guardians and people with responsibility to look after close family members already have the right to request flexible working rights after six months of employment, but offering such employment practices across the board can really help to boost staff morale. Of course though, as well as the ‘carrot’ of flexible working, it’s also appropriate that employers should make staff aware that unauthorised absences won’t be tolerated, and all relevant policies should be updated and communicated to staff accordingly.” Ryan concluded.
