Should the Monday After Super Bowl be a Holiday?

Seventy-two percent of HR managers say the day after the professional football championship game should be a paid national holiday from work, a survey from OfficeTeam finds, and Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. suggests, “Having a planned, nationwide holiday would likely be less disruptive to operations than large numbers of unplanned absences.”

According to 72% of HR managers, the day after the professional football championship game should be a paid national holiday from work, a survey from OfficeTeam finds.

 

The survey found more than one-quarter of employees (27%) admitted they’ve called in sick or made an excuse for skipping work following a major sporting event, such as the Super Bowl, NBA Finals or World Series. Nearly one-third of professionals (32%) have been tardy to the office the day after watching a big game.

 

Employees ages 18 to 34 (40%) and males (36%) have most frequently called in sick or made an excuse for skipping work after a major sporting event. Sixteen percent of women have done so. Workers ages 18 to 34 (44%) and men (42%) were also most commonly late to the office the day following a big game. That compares to 20% of females.

 

Professionals claim they spend only 27 minutes each workday on sports-related activities, such as talking to colleagues and participating in informal competitions, before a popular event. Of all respondent groups, male employees and those ages 18 to 34 are most preoccupied by sports at the office (37 minutes and 35 minutes per day, respectively). Women average 15 minutes a day.

 

Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. says if the same number of workers expect to take the Monday after the Super Bowl off work this year as last year, it could cost employers over $3 billion in lost productivity. “If all workers who watch the Super Bowl come in just one hour late or spend one hour discussing the game instead of doing work, the cost to employers could hit $1.78 billion,” says Andrew Challenger, vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

 

Challenger estimates employers already lose over $296 million in lost productivity for every ten minutes of the workday employees spend discussing the game, watching highlights, or setting up their Super Bowl pools. “Having a planned, nationwide holiday would likely be less disruptive to operations than large numbers of unplanned absences,” adds Challenger.

 

The firm advises embracing worker excitement over the shared pastime. “Employers could have a Super Bowl Monday party, letting workers rehash the game together. For those who can, managers might consider allowing workers to come in later that Monday,” says Challenger. “Gathering workers together for any reason, especially a shared event, is always great for morale.”

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