Rugby World Cup: Does your company have a drunk staff policy?
Sort your flexi-time and booze rules out ahead of Monday, Grant Thornton partner warns.
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Hawke’s Bay
Does your company have a policy about staff arriving late – or even drunk – after World Cup games?
If not, don't leave it until Monday, Grant Thornton partner Paul Kane warns.
Think about annual leave or time in lieu or flexi-time options now, he says.
For his own company he says, it will be business as usual. "Even during our 'normal' year if someone can’t make it until 10am, we say 'Fine, make it up at the end of the day.' You don't want to be too draconian."
Grant Thornton will have a TV for those who want to watch games, too.
He also has some advice for staff.
"We've got David Seymour to thank for bars being open but you can't tank up and then roll up to work," he says.
A lot of primary industries have strict rules about drinking in the workplace but white collars workers 'on the sauce' will be a clear and present danger. "Professionals are the worst," Mr Kane says. "Think about coffee instead of beer."
He also advises staff and employees to keep an eye on bandwidth as the likes of iSky and Fanpass are used to watching games from work PCs. It will be easy to blow a monthly data cap, he says.
His key advice is to be flexible. "Create an atmosphere in the office around the next six weeks," he says.
Rugby World Cup games have kick-offs ranging from 11pm to 8am.
The All Blacks' pool play start times are 3.45am, 7am and two at 8am. Assuming they make the quarter finals, it would be another 8am kick off.
Should the All Blacks make a semi-final, it would be a 4am kickoff and a win then would result in a 5am final.
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Rugby World Cup: Does your company have a drunk staff policy?
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