The Super Bowl brings in millions and millions of dollars in ad revenues and attracts millions of viewers worldwide. It’s often considered the quintessential example of a major media event, and it suggests concepts of spectacle, championship, and mass consumerism. But many people may not think about how the Super Bowl impacts the workplace.
Particularly how does the Super Bowl contributes to employee absenteeism? In 2019, for example, an estimated 17 million Americans skipped work the day after the big game, with some speculating that this cost employers roughly $4.4 million in lost productivity.
Certainly, some companies are afflicted by Super Bowl flu more than others. But there are other annual events that have the potential to drive up absenteeism. Identifying what they are for your company and taking steps to address these issues can provide real benefits to the organization. Following are some potential underlying causes of the absenteeism symptom.
Bad Example from Managers
In companies where managers are frequently absent or calling in sick, employees will take this as a sign that such behavior is acceptable. Managers need to lead by example and set expectations for appropriate behavior when it comes to workplace attendance. Employees are watching.
Minimal or Inconsistent Enforcement of Expectations
It’s human nature to push limits. When employees see that they can call in sick after some major event or significant holiday and not get disciplined or even spoken to about missing work, they are far more likely to engage in such behavior. Being consistent in addressing poor workplace behaviors is key to make any policy stick.
Low Morale and Engagement
Absenteeism is a major sign of low employee morale and a lack of engagement. We’re not saying that your employees should always be chomping at the bit to get into work, but the less engaged they are, the more likely they will be to take advantage of any excuse to not be there.
Growing post-Super Bowl and other postevent absenteeism may be a sign of a larger issue within the workplace related to a lax culture around rules and lack of employee engagement. By working to address these underlying issues, companies might be able to keep bodies in chairs the day after future big events.