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Employee absenteeism after major sports events like the Super Bowl is on the rise, suggests new research from staffing firm OfficeTeam. More than half of professionals (54%) know someone who’s called in sick or made an excuse for skipping work following a big game. That’s up from 41% three years ago. In a separate survey, senior managers identified playing hooky the day after (42%) as the most distracting or annoying employee behavior when it comes to sports, a 20-point jump from a similar survey in 2017.
Workers were asked, “Do you know anyone who’s called in sick or made an excuse for skipping work the day after a sporting event, such as the Super Bowl, NBA Finals or World Series?” Their responses:
| Yes | 54% |
| No | 46% |
Senior managers were asked, “Which of the following is the most distracting or annoying employee behavior when it comes to major sporting events?” Their responses:
| Calling in sick or making an excuse for skipping work the day after | 42% |
| Spending too much time talking sports | 18% |
| Showing up the day after tired or under the weather | 17% |
| Being a poor sport or overly competitive | 15% |
| Overdoing it with team decorations or attire | 8% |
Additional findings:
- Professionals ages 18 to 34 (65%) most often said they know someone who’s played hooky following a major sports event, compared to those ages 35 to 54 (52%) and 55 and older (36%). 63% of male employees admitted the same, versus 44% of women.
- Among the 28 U.S. cities surveyed, the most senior managers in Cleveland (56%), Denver (52%) and Chicago (51%) were annoyed by staff missing work the day after a big game.