Embracing the Olympic spirit at work, but keeping productive
Posted August 2, 2012 8:28 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – London is eight hours ahead of Vancouver; that means many of our best medal chances are happening while you’re on the job.
We’re checking in with an expert for some tips on how you can cheer on the True North, Strong and Free while still getting your work done.
Workplace guru Patricia Hazelwood with Robert Half Finance and Accounting says managers and workers have to find a way to meet in the middle.
“Employers obviously have to be aware that employees are interested in the Olympics and there’s different levels of interest. But I think at the end of the day, employees also have to remember they’re being paid a salary to do their work and their work is the most important thing,” she explains.
Hazelwood warns managers are better off allowing workers to watch the games than to enforce an office blackout, which can only hurt morale.
“That leads to behaviour that is unacceptable in the workplace because you’re actually not allowing people to express themselves and they’re doing it on the sly. That leads to disciplinary issues, which create bad feelings in the office,” she tells us.
Hazelwood notes the spirit of the games can actually increase productivity, as managers can set Olympic-style performance targets to meet office objectives.
