We
appreciate the Olympics is a one off event, however all business owners should be planning ahead while remaining flexible and consistent in plans or procedures with regards to managing staff holiday or absence.
Time off
and holidays should be booked in advance in accordance with existing holiday
procedure/policy. We have heard a lot about
advising business owners to create one off policies for the likes of the
Olympics, but why create more paperwork and administration?! Our advice is to use the same rules that apply throughout the year when it comes to requesting holiday/leave. Unauthorised
absence or ‘sickies’ should be treated in the exact same way as any
unauthorised absence throughout the year.
If
someone is volunteering during the Olympics, leave should be treated either as holiday entitlement
or unpaid leave.
Though a special event, an employer has the right to refuse any request for holiday, but would have to grant it another time. Here is the reality: be fair, consistent and make sure people aren’t watching it on the internet at work if they are supposed to be working!
Keep
calm and carry on really...
p.s.
We are running a very quick poll to find out our reader’s thoughts on the
impact of the Olympics. We’d really appreciate if
you could take 30 to answer our poll here https://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5vvcfNPUU0HhDhi
