Only one in 10 respondents said their employer is allowing flexible working to attend the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to research by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP).
The research, How will the Olympics affect businesses, found that 10% of respondents said their employer is permitting staff to work flexibly so they can watch the games on television and 12% said their employer is granting flexible leave to volunteer at the games.
The research also found:
- 14% of respondents plan to take time off to attend the games.
- 13% of respondents said their employers are allowing workers to catch up on lost hours at the beginning or end of the day or during weekends for attending, watching or volunteering for the games.
Lindsay Melvin, chief executive at the CIPP, said: “Attending the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many people. It is not surprising to discover that so many Brits will be taking time off to watch the games in their home country.
“It is also good to hear that employers are showing their support for the Olympics by offering flexible working arrangements so that can staff can attend, watch or volunteer at the games.
“That being said, it is important that businesses still run smoothly during this time and part of that is ensuring that employee absences are managed appropriately. Payroll and HR departments will have to be more organised than usual and make sure that there are contingency strategies in place in case a number of their staff members are not working their regular hours.”
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