Over 100 million people watched the Super Bowl in 2018 with just as many or more expected to watch the 2019 matchup between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams on Super Bowl Sunday this year. That means watch parties that last late into Sunday night followed by a rough Monday morning for many. Employers may also have a rough Monday as employees call in sick, no show, or submit last-minute PTO requests. Here are some Super Bowl Monday facts:

• Although a normal work day, it’s the least productive work day nationally and the most popular sick day of the year.
• Last year, an estimated 1.5 million Americans chose not to go to work on the Monday after the Super Bowl, while another 4.4 million came in late, according to a study conducted by the Workforce Institute at Kronos. 
• If last year’s absentee numbers hold true, employee absenteeism this year could cost the US economy $3 billion, according to a recent study from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

“We’ve been researching the big game’s effect on the workforce for more than decade, and while numbers may fluctuate each hear, one fact remains clear, #SuperSickMonday is often the biggest day in America for calling out of work,” explains Joyce Maroney, Executive Director, The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated.

With the numbers indicating significant productivity loss on the Monday after the Super Bowl, what, if anything, can employers consider doing? Here are a few ideas other employers have implemented:  

• In 2017, Kraft Heinz. decided to give everyone the Monday after the Super Bowl off after it learned of the loss in profit due to lack of employees working on Super Bowl Monday.  
• Some employers schedule a late start on Monday, having employees come in mid-morning and starting with a company meeting followed by a company lunch.
• Others have employees work ½ a day, giving them the morning to recover from Super Bowl parties from the night before.
• A popular suggestion has been to make Super Bowl Monday a National Holiday. However, the last time a national holiday was passed was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday in 1986. And a downside to creating a national holiday is the pressure companies may feel to provide extra PTO.

Find the solution that works best for your company’s situation. Develop your own “Game Plan” addressing the unique business needs of your company and your company culture, then communicate your decision in advance so all can make plans accordingly. You may or may not be able to provide flexibility on Super Bowl Monday, but you can consider how you can make the day both productive and enjoyable for your team. 

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For additional assistance with employee attendance and/or policies, and/or other HR related matters, contact us to discuss your needs and how we might assist you.