Is your company adequately prepared for the London 2012 Olympics?
All employers in the UK are likely to be affected by the London 2012 Olympics in one way or another, regardless of size, industry or geographical location. Here, HR outsourcing provider Employee Management Ltd (http://www.employeemanagement.co.uk) offers some guidance on how to adequately prepare your company for the Olympic Games.
There are a number of key ways in which the London 2012 Olympics could well affect any UK firm, most of them behaviour-driven. For instance, there may be an increased rate of absence amongst employees, as is often the case when special national events are taking place. Employees may wish to take authorised leave at the same time over the period of the Olympic Games, giving rise to issues with staff cover. Managers will also have to decide whether or not to allow employees to watch any of the Games during work hours; and if so, how to do so with minimal disruption and if not, then how to avoid affecting company morale by banning the viewing of the Games at work.
An important step for employers in advance of the London 2012 Olympics, therefore, is the review and update of all relevant company policies to factor in this event. For instance, make sure that your sickness absence policy is watertight and clearly communicated to all employees well in advance of the Olympics to guard against confusion or claims that an employee was unaware of the rules. Doing so could well avoid the need for dispute resolution as a consequence of disagreement about the authorisation of any leave during the Games.
Also, take the time to organise authorised leave around the time of the Olympics well in advance. You may want to take a ‘first come, first served’ approach to approving leave for fairness sake. Regardless, communicate effectively with all staff about how sickness, unauthorised absence and authorised holiday will be handled over this specific period. Indeed, effective communication is vital in the handling of all matters related to your employees and the Olympics. For instance, if you plan to request medical certificates for any sick leave taken on key event days then make this clear to all staff in the weeks preceding the Games. Circulate any agreed policy on watching the Games during work hours well before the event, remembering that screening some of the events may not only improve morale but also improve absenteeism levels. Review your company’s internet usage policy to check whether it prohibits the use of streaming. Ensure it backs up your policy on employees watching any of the Games via the internet while at work, and that this policy is made clear to all staff.
Put a plan in place for dealing with lateness due to Olympic-related travel delays, with any additional dispensation or flexibility clearly outlined in advance of individual cases so as to ensure fairness for all. Consider the option of remote or flexible working for individuals more likely to be affected by the Games when getting to and from work.
Finally, when it comes to handling any transgression of company policies, carry out appropriate workplace investigations into each case to limit liability for unfair dismissals, taking care to follow all necessary procedures. Doing so could avoid the possibility of future employment tribunals.
There may be more specific ways in which your company needs to prepare its HR support around the time of the London 2012 Olympics. To find out more, go to the Employee Management Ltd website at (http://www.employeemanagement.co.uk).
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