06 | 14 | 2006 Posted By Diane Pfadenhauer

World Cup Soccer and the Workplace

While at lunch with my brother today, I got a lesson on the importance of the World Cup Soccer.  Approximately 80% of the world's population will watch the games (WOW!) and this event is viewed as the largest sporting event int he world.  Then I started thinking about worker productivity during the World Cup.  Seems that the games will likely cost U.S. employers 10 minutes per day per worker for the 21 days of the tournament or about $122 million.  While that seems like a lot of money, in other countries the numbers are far greater. 

According to this article:

  • One in ten employees in the UK will apply for sick leave.
According to this article in USAToday:
  • The World Cup will cost the British economy about $7.36 billion in productivity
  • In Brazil, banks close and cities virtually shut down during big games by the Brazilian team
  • In Italy, "...It shuts down completely...Everyone goes to bars or friends houses. Those that remain at work will still take off the two hours or so needed to watch the game on a television there."
And we thought the Super Bowl was BIG!