How the Super Bowl impacts the workplace
The big event is Sunday night, but research shows that the Super Bowl can have an impact on productivity before and after the game. According to data from Captivate Office Pulse, 77% percent of working professionals plan to watch this year’s Super Bowl between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. Here’s how the game may affect your workplace.
Next-day attendance
A study conducted by Captivate Office Pulse before last year’s big game concluded that one in 10 U.S. workers — an estimated 16.5 million employees — were likely to miss work the day after Super Bowl LI. Another estimated 7.5 million workers said they may show up late to work on Monday. And slightly more than a quarter of respondents (26%) think the Monday after the Super Bowl should be considered a holiday.
Productivity after the game
“When applying these numbers to the total U.S. working population of 122 million employees and average hourly rate of $10.61, the total loss in productivity comes out to $1,012,650,654,” Office Pulse said last February, noting that “the beginning of the year is a good time to review and update (or to implement) employment policies — including absence and tardiness policies.”
Productivity before the game
It’s not just the day after that can cause problems — consulting firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas says the work slowdown in the week before the Super Bowl costs American businesses close to $850 million in lost productivity.
Morale
Surprisingly, a large number of employees (66%) say incorporating big-game activities into the workplace helps boost employee happiness, according to research from OfficeTeam. Among the possibilities? A “show your colors” day on the Friday before the game, a coffee hour on the Monday following, where employees can discuss the game, and a Monday viewing of the best Super Bowl commercials.
Gambling
Many offices around the country are home this week to official or unofficial betting pools around Super Bowl LI. Lexology notes that there federal law prohibits wagers on sporting events, though the “odds of enforcement against low-end office pools are pretty minimal.” Even so, February is a good time to set or revisit your company’s rules around gambling in the workplace — and make sure employees are aware of the policy. “You may want to consider starting a voluntary workplace pool that requires no entrance fee,” Lexology suggests. “You can buy prizes with company funds and hand them out to the winners, turning what could be a problematic event into a morale booster.”
