World Cup Set To Cost Global Employers RM68 Billion In Lost Productivity

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The upcoming football World Cup is about to take over our screens, but it might also tank workplace productivity

According to a new study, companies worldwide are bracing for a massive wave of distracted workers and empty desks.

A survey of 8,000 employees by UKG, an American workforce management platform, revealed that the tournament could cost global employers a staggering USD17 billion (RM67.7 billion), the New Straits Times reports.

The data shows that 37% of workers plan to tweak their work schedules just to catch the matches.

Around 27% of employees admitted they will likely skip work entirely, leave early, or show up late.

Meanwhile, 14% plan to secretly stream games on the clock, and 11% will attempt to work while hungover.

It turns out that bosses are just as guilty of football distraction as their teams

The survey highlighted that 42% of managers are already planning to take a day off, while 45% will request last-minute flexibility.

The economic impact varies by country, with the US facing a potential loss of USD11.7 billion (RM46.6 billion), followed by Germany at USD1.34 billion (RM5.34 billion).

This widespread absenteeism presents an expensive challenge for businesses trying to maintain daily operations

"When absenteeism and presenteeism hit at scale, the effect is immediate and expensive," said Suresh Vittal, chief product officer at UKG.

He added that when productivity drops, customer experiences suffer, and remaining team members are forced to cover the massive gaps.