Employers are being urged to screen Wimbledon in the office to avoid unauthorised sick days and demotivated workers.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said people should be given the option to watch games and make the time up afterwards in a bid to boost morale and team spirit.
It comes after a poll of 700 workers found they will not be given time off to follow the tennis championship.
However, the group said it believed tennis fans will watch games from their desks anyway, either on their computers or on TV sets.
Research adviser Dr Jill Miller said: “Depending on business needs, employers may choose to screen matches, perhaps asking people to make up the time afterwards. However, whether employers allow employees to tune in or not, the policy should be clearly communicated to the workforce.”
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber commented: “Rather than impose a blanket ban on tennis, and run the risk of demotivating staff and losing hours through unauthorised sick days, we would encourage employers to let people watch the games at work or at home if they like – and claim back their time afterwards. That way, everyone wins.”
Copyright © Press Association 2011
Your comments (terms and conditions apply):
“You are joking aren’t you? Since when will patients wait until a tennis match is over if they want attention? If workers are so desperate they know when Wimbeldon is coming so they book holidays or they come to work, anything else is unauthorised absence. Let’s be honest there wil be repeats and edited highlights and repeats and edited highlights and more repeats
etc so it is not as if any one will go short of tennis coverage. Surely anybody with more than half a grey cell would put their job first given the current climate and if not would anyone want to employ them?” – Name and address withheld
