Tips for Surviving the FIFA World Cup - At Home and At Work - May 2010
Yes, it's that time again. Once every four years, you can't turn for thousands of screens showing 22 men in bright shirts, closely followed by 3 'men in black', kicking a ball around a pitch. At home, at work, when out and about - for a whole MONTH -you can't escape it. So you must learn to survive or embrace it.
In the interests of helping Matchett's clients manage the enormous 'stress and pressure', I've complied a list of top tips for surviving (perhaps even thriving) during the FIFA World Cup 2010.
At Home
"The World Cup and other sporting events could cause extra tension in relationships....One half of a couple may feel jealous of the attention their partner lavishes on sport. They may wonder why they don't see the same passions in their relationship." Fiona McClymont, The Independent, June 1998
Yes, I'm pretty sure there's a spike in the rate of relationship break-ups following the FIFA World Cup. So here are my 5 survival tips, for those who hate football but whose other halves are huge fans. Or for the Welsh... we didn't qualify unhappy smiley
1. Beg, steal or rent a second TV, so you can watch Eastenders and Corrie in peace, whilst your other half is transfixed by the Cameroon vs Paraguay game. Or England vs Germany.
2. Be entrepreneurial. Generate a shoe fund by running a pay-per-go 'Fantasy World Cup' for the fans. As an impartial observer you'll be perfectly placed to 'leverage' their knowledge and enthusiasm for the game. Some might call this taking advantage. But not me. Oh no!
3. You won't be going out anywhere as all pubs & clubs will have the footie on 24/7. So throw an 'alternative' World Cup Party for your fellow non-believers. A SwingBall Knockout anyone?
4. Take a holiday to a country where football isn't that popular. I'm thinking Antarctica. Or America. Or Wales.
5. Just give in! Pick a team at random. Then cheer them on enthusiastically, every time they play. I'm talking klaxons, drums, whistles. Even better, learn to sing their national. Have a few beers too. Trust me, you'll be an even bigger fan than your other half by the end of the tournament. Unless you're Welsh (I'm still bitter that we're not playing...).
At Work
The CIPD conducted a straw poll of their members last month and found that 90 per cent didn't have a policy for staff absence during the FIFA World Cup, with only 5 per cent even thinking of developing one. Tim Smedley, writing last week in People Management, thinks that "This is surprising. Because whether or not you can tell the difference between Lionel Messi and Lionel Richie, the chances are that a significant percentage of your workforce will hold an avid interest in the goings-on in South Africa between 11 June and 11 July."
He then goes on to identify 10 top tips, voted for by 'HR pundits', for turning the event into a positive experience for the organisation. I've picked my favourite 3:
1. Make a team bonding event of it
The tactic: Reserve an area in a pub one night, or set up a TV in a meeting room for the big games.
The rationale: It appreciates people's need to feel emotional connections with their colleagues.
2. Use flexitime
The tactic: Run a special flexitime working schedule during the tournament. For example, allowing employees to work outside of standard hours, if they wish to watch a game during usual work hours.
The rationale: Known to deepen staff loyalty. Providing the business is not adversely affected, this seems an ideal solution, providing staff understand that it's not necessarily going to become standard working practice for Wimbledon, Test Matches, Cheltenham...
3. Embrace diversity
The tactic: Remind staff that if the customer base is diverse, a knowledge of what's going on in the tournament could be good for business. Work teams could 'adopt' a national team, dress in the colours and be allowed time to watch the games of 'their' team.
The rationale: Most organisations have a diverse staff. Supporting informal social events which encourage awareness of the 'world village', whilst having good old fun, can be a great way of celebrating diversity. But avoid being over-prescriptive.
I hope I’ve provided you with useful tips for emerging unscathed from the 4 weeks of relentless football. Remember, on July 12th ‘they’ll think it’s all over’ – and it will be! If it all gets too much you may want to consider our in-house course Stress and Pressure Management, or our flexible Coping with Stress Light Bite.
