As the Olympic Games draw closer, are businesses ready for the impact of absence?

There has been extensive coverage of the Olympic torch relay in recent weeks, and as the countdown to the games continues, Moore Blatch solicitors is reminding employers that it’s not too late to put an Olympic leave policy in place.

Moore Blatch employment expert Katherine Maxwell said, “Having a specific leave policy will help businesses ensure they can effectively manage an increase in leave requests, and avoid unauthorised absences.”

Over 8.8million tickets have been sold for the Olympic Games, which begin on July 29, and with events taking place in locations throughout the South East, many people will not want to miss out.

Whether they are working as a volunteer, have tickets for specific events or simply want to watch their favourite sports on the television, millions will want to be involved in London 2012.

It’s anticipated that requests for time off or leave will be much higher than usual at this time of year, so it’s important for employers to plan how they will manage any requests, and tell their staff.

Katherine continued, “I would advise that employers find out what time off their staff would like as soon as possible, so that staffing levels can be managed to keep the business going. Managers should be consistent in their decision making, and may have to be flexible given the exceptional circumstances.

“It’s also advisable to make staff aware the consequences for unauthorised absences before the games begin to reduce the impact of unplanned days off on the rest of the business.

“Though it’s not too late, time is running out with less than a month to go, and making preparations now will pay off once the Paralympic and Olympic Games begin.”