Employers be prepared: Super Bowl Sunday may sideline staff on Monday

Survey indicates more than half a million working Canadians

have called in sick after watching a major sporting event

MISSISSAUGA, ON, February 2, 2006 — New survey findings suggest that more than half a million employed Canadians may call in sick after watching a major sporting event. With the Super Bowl on the horizon, such absence rates can negatively impact an organization’s productivity, customer service, and employee morale.

The survey, conducted by Decima Research and commissioned by Kronos ® Incorporated, found that half a million Canadians have called in sick to work the day following a major sporting event. There were also surprising demographic and regional differences:

•  Absences were five percent higher in males than females;  

•  Adults aged 18-24 years were more likely to call in sick after watching a major sporting event; and

•  Albertans had the highest propensity to call in sick after watching a major sporting event, followed closely by those living in Ontario.

“Unscheduled absences cost employers millions of dollars in lost productivity, impact production, customer service, and create employee satisfaction problems,” said Pierre Bélanger, general manager of Kronos’ Canadian operation. “Organizations that strive to control these hidden costs will gain a competitive edge.”

Addressing the problem

As organizations continue to focus on improving productivity, many are turning to innovative solutions from companies such as Kronos to help control workforce attendance and encourage a positive work/life balance.  

“Implementing and consistently enforcing an attendance policy that balances the needs of employees and the organization is the first step in managing unscheduled absences,” said Mr. Bélanger. “Kronos solutions help automate and apply attendance policies fairly and consistently throughout an organization, helping companies plan appropriately for scheduled and unscheduled absences.”

About the survey

This telephone survey was conducted with 465 Canadians 18 years of age or older who work full- or part-time for an employer. The survey was carried out between January 12 and January 16, 2006 by Decima Research Inc. Results of the survey can be considered accurate to within plus or minus 4.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

About Kronos ( www.kronos.com/canada )

Kronos Canadian Systems Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kronos Incorporated, based in Mississauga with locations from coast to coast. Many leading Canadian organizations, including Best Buy Canada, Nestlé Canada, The Toronto Star, and Woodbine Entertainment, use Kronos solutions to help align their staff with business volumes, reduce costs, and increase productivity.

Kronos Incorporated is the most trusted name in workforce management. Kronos helps organizations staff, develop, deploy, track, and reward their workforce, resulting in reduced costs, increased productivity, better decision-making, improved employee satisfaction, and alignment with organizational objectives. More than 20 million people use a Kronos solution every day. Learn more about Kronos’ high-impact enterprise solutions at www.kronos.com.

© 2006 Kronos Incorporated. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks of Kronos Incorporated or a related company. All other product and company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

i Employed refers to those who work full- or part-time on an employer’s business.