London business need to prepare  for the Olympic disruption which start on Friday 27 July 2012 and close on 12 August, followed by the Paralympic Games on 29 August to 9 September 2012.  Almost all employers are likely to encounter some staffing issues, from over-demand for time off, suspicious sickness absence, travel disruption and internet abuse.  Setting the boundaries now will help businesses ensure that the decisions they make are consistent and fair.

Demand for time off

Employers are likely to face a higher than average number of holiday requests during the Games from those wishing to attend or watch as well as from workers wishing to take normal holidays during the summer period.  Plus, around 700,000 volunteers, known as “Games Makers” have also been recruited to support the Games and are required to assist for a minimum of 10 days as well as to attend training beforehand.  Some employers may therefore find that their existing holiday policies are insufficient to deal with these competing requests. 

Businesses must first decide on how much holiday they can allow during the Games.  If they expect to be busier than normal, then they may have to restrict, or even to ban holiday during this period to ensure that they can meet customer demand. Whether they can do so may depend on existing policies or contract terms, so it would be worth checking them before committing to any new arrangements.

One approach is to give priority to those who have given the most notice.  An alternative is to ask all employees who want time off during the Games to make a request by a specific date and have a policy to determine how requests will be decided.  Priority may be given to those who have already pre-booked a holiday, those acting as Games Makers, and those who are getting married or entering into a civil partnership.  All other requests could be determined by drawing names. 

Employers could consider allowing some employees to take time off without pay, or to work flexibly by for example, starting work early or late, or by swopping shifts with other employees, but will need to deal with these types of requests well in advance to ensure that it can maintain service/production levels.

Unauthorised absence

Workers who are not able to take authorised leave may consider pulling a “sickie”.  The first step to minimise this type of abuse is to remind staff of the sickness policy, such as the requirement to speak to a manager on each day of absence.  Determining whether an employee’s illness is genuine is difficult and employers must not jump to conclusions.  One option is for employers to introduce a more robust policy during the Games and require fit notes or return to work interviews in all cases.  Disciplinary sanctions can of course be applied where it can be established that staff are not genuinely ill.

Watching the games at work

Many of the events, including those in which Team GB has medal hopes will take place during normal working hours and employees are likely to want to follow some events.  Those with PC’s and mobile phones may have the ability to stream media at their desks. 

Businesses must first decide what will be acceptable.  Even where the business has a policy regarding internet use/access to mobile phones at work already in place it may have to be temporarily changed to reflect the company’s Olympic policy.  Employers can normally change these type of policies without the employee’s consent, but they must make sure that the changes are properly communicated and that employees know what is and is not acceptable. 

If the business is happy to allow employees to access information via their PC’s they will need to ensure that their networks can cope with the additional demands, otherwise the core business is likely to be adversely affected.  

Employers must communicate their expectations clearly.  If limited access is permitted employees must understand what the implications of exceeding this will be.  Potential disciplinary issues other than time wasting may also arise, such as employees engaging in on-line gambling or accessing inappropriate sites.

Alternative ways of watching the games

Not everyone will have access to the internet at work either due to IT restrictions or the work undertaken.  An alternative option is to allow staff to watch key events on a communal screen or television.  Most employers are unlikely to want a mass exodus and will need to decide how to manage this.  One option is to give staff the choice of watching one or two events, or where there is high demand for a particular event, pulling names out of a hat.  If staff have to make up the time for watching events they must be told how quickly they must do so.  In many cases, it might be easier to ensure that time is made up on same day, although some flexibility will need to be included to avoid disadvantage to particular individuals or groups.

Employees are likely to want to discuss the Games and there may be team rivalry and banter, whether or not employees watch the events together at work.   Employees must be reminded that their behaviour has to be appropriate and acceptable and that complaints by co-workers of harassment and discrimination will be dealt with seriously under existing policies.

Similar considerations apply to employees attending client parties held to watch or celebrate Olympic events.  It should be made clear that these events are considered by the employer to be extensions of the workplace and that the normal rules apply.  If alcohol is available, employees should be told what it considers to be acceptable limits.

Staffing needs

Some businesses will need to re-think their staffing needs to reflect an expected increase or decrease in customer demands.  This may involve changes to existing employees working arrangements.  The first step is to check their contracts of employment to see whether changes can be made such as giving the employee additional responsibilities or requiring additional hours.  It is sensible and will avoid potential conflict, to discuss this with the employee before introducing any changes.  

Similarly, if the employer wants to make changes that are not provided for in the contract or handbook it should  speak to the affected staff  many of whom may be prepared to agree to the temporary changes, such as early or later start or finish times to the working day, job sharing or revised working patterns.

Travel disruption

Travel disruption is anticipated throughout the games, particularly in central London, with 700-900,000 additional people expected per day.  Businesses operating within the London area will need to consider the extent to which supplies or delivers may be delayed and also how long it will take their employees to get to work, particularly those coming through the worst affected stations or routes, such as Stratford Offering flexible working arrangement on a temporary basis may resolve some travel problems.  Employees with severe difficulties could be given the opportunity to work from home if this is feasible, although those remotely accessing their employer’s systems may face disruption during key events when the internet is not expected to offer a full service.

Most employers will face additional challenges during the Games, but planning ahead will help to minimise disruption. Even if they have effective absence/holiday policies in place, already, it would be worth considering introducing a specific “Olympics Policy”. If they intend to do so, it would be better to put one in place as soon as possible, setting parameters out clearly so that everyone knows the rules.

Ultimately, the Olympics are a time when people can come together to enjoy sport. By thinking about its impact now, employers can ensure everyone gets the chance to join the celebrations and in doing so increase staff morale.

Tom Flanagan is head of employment at law firm Irwin Mitchell