Employers embrace World Cup viewing as productivity trade-off

Metro Vancouver employers are clearing conference rooms for watch parties and booking group outings as Canada's World Cup run unfolds during business hours Thursday and beyond — treating the tournament as a morale play rather than a distraction.

At tech company Clio's Burnaby office, FIFA matches have been streaming since mid-June, with employees gathering around screens during the workday and often staying after hours. For Canada's Thursday match against Qatar, Clio is hosting an office mixer with a large projector setup, decorations and games.

"We have a hybrid work environment, but we're finding employees actually want to come into the office for World Cup game days," said Brittany Reardon, senior director of employee experience at Clio. "We don't think of productivity as the amount of hours behind your computer. We believe you're also being productive when you build stronger relationships with colleagues, which are relationships that help you do your job afterwards."

A survey by workforce management firm UKG supports the gamble. The research, conducted across 8,000 employees in Canada, the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands and Britain, found 37 per cent of workers plan to adjust schedules around matches. That includes 27 per cent likely to arrive late, leave early, skip shifts or miss work entirely, while 14 per cent expect to stream matches during work and 11 per cent said they'd work while hungover.

Even managers aren't immune: 42 per cent said they'd likely take a day off, and 45 per cent would seek last-minute flexibility.

Human resources experts say employers who try to block World Cup viewing are fighting a losing battle. "To pretend that no one can do it, lock it down and must work — personally I think that is a little unrealistic," said Cissy Pau, principal consultant with Clear HR Consulting.

Instead, Pau said workplaces benefit from introducing flexibility — allowing staff to come in early on match days or incorporating matches into the workday through office screenings or informal team events. "You may lose productivity while a game is on, but the payoff after — people happier, more bonded — can lead to improved morale and teamwork."

At recruitment company Hays' downtown Vancouver office, staff are being encouraged to step away Thursday to watch Canada take on Qatar at a nearby restaurant — following a similar outing last Friday when employees watched Canada's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at Tap & Barrel.