By early July, the country is usually deep into summer sporting fever. Whether it’s the World Cup, Wimbledon, the Olympics or the Euros, these events have a habit of spilling into the working day. People chat about results in the kitchen, request time off for key fixtures, and, in some workplaces, morale gets a very visible lift.
For HR leaders and employers, that energy is worth paying attention to. Handled well, major sporting events can be a simple but effective way to strengthen culture and engagement. Handled badly, they can lead to absence issues, resentment, exclusion and unnecessary employee relations headaches.
Why sporting events matter at work
It can be tempting to dismiss sport as a distraction, but national events often create a rare sense of shared excitement. In office-based environments, especially, they can provide a low-pressure social talking point, bring teams together and give people a reason to connect beyond their day-to-day workload.
Shared moments can support belonging, encourage cross-team interaction and create a more human workplace. Options such as flexible working, shift swaps or screening key matches can help people feel trusted and valued.
HR should be thinking about how to channel that energy rather than trying to shut it down.
The risks HR cannot ignore
Sporting events can create practical challenges too. The most obvious is attendance. Surveys have found that employers have long worried about unauthorised absence around major tournaments, with some employees admitting to taking time off to watch matches. Other concerns include lateness after evening fixtures, reduced productivity the morning after a big game, and annual leave bottlenecks if lots of people want the same time off.
There is also a conduct risk. Sport can bring out strong loyalties, and what starts as “banter” can quickly tip into exclusionary or inappropriate behaviour. There are legal and cultural risks of football-related comments in the workplace, particularly where nationality, race or gender come into play.
That means HR needs to keep one eye on enthusiasm and one eye on fairness.
Take a flexible, planned approach
The best response is usually not a ban. Blanket rules can feel heavy-handed and may even backfire if employees simply disengage or find workarounds.
Think about practical flexibility. Could you allow slightly adjusted hours for a key fixture, provided time is made up? Could some employees work from home if an event is likely to affect travel or concentration?
The important thing is consistency. If you are offering flexibility, spell out what is available, who it applies to and where the boundaries are. Managers should know how to respond to requests, what to do about last-minute absence, and how to avoid making ad hoc decisions that feel unfair.
Make inclusion part of the plan
Not everyone follows football. Not everyone supports England. Not everyone enjoys sport-centred office chat. And if the atmosphere becomes too laddish or clique-driven, you risk alienating people rather than bringing them in.
So, if you are embracing a sporting moment, do it in a way that feels broad rather than tribal. Avoid assumptions about who will be interested. Be mindful of employees from different nationalities who may support other teams. If you are putting on food, a sweepstake or a screening, think about whether there are other ways for people to join in socially without needing to be sports fans.
You should also remind managers that workplace banter still sits within your wider standards on respect and inclusion. If comments would not be acceptable in another context, they are not acceptable now.
Use the moment to reinforce culture
Work with us to find leading talent that will strengthen your team culture as well as your business performance.