" UK BOSSES, FIND ROONEY IN YOU HEART FOR FLEXIBLE WORKING OVER EURO 2004"

UK IT Consultancy Makes A Plea To Firms Worried About England Going All The Way
Date:   23/6/2004

ramsac, a leading IT solutions provider, is advising companies to adopt a positive attitude to this Summer's potential business banana skin - Wayne Rooney and his England team mates.

Should Sven's men make it through to the Euro 2004 final on Sunday July 4th, ramsac is advising companies to accept that the following Monday might be 'challenging' in terms of work actually done, and to look at ways to minimize the impact of potential glory in Portugal.

" This isn't a gimmick, many company's will be panicking about how to manage staff should England make it through to the final," says Dan May Operations Director at ramsac. "The English football team, and Rooney in particular, are already causing significant increases in non-work related e-mail traffic, text messages, internet surfing and even absenteeism due to over-celebration. If Beckham lifts the trophy on July 4th, the following day could see real problems in terms of attendance and productivity."

According to May, companies in the UK already lose more than one day a week - on average - to staff Internet abuse, costing UK businesses around £1.5 billion a year. While the importance of the occasion cannot be over-looked, May argues that with some contingency planning, bosses can not only limit the impact of an England victory, they can actually help staff enjoy it more.

Adds May: "Why not look at an England victory as an opportunity to try out new ways of working? Flexible hours and remote working are becoming more and more popular, so why not use the occasion to trial new ideas? A member of staff working from home is far more likely to contribute to the business day than one forced to come in nursing a hang-over and resenting being at their desk."

May also suggests that companies are considerate towards staff wanting to celebrate the England team - and hopefully their success - in the office.

" Many people spend more time in front of their PC at work than they do in their car or even their home! We've seen the proliferation of car flags and other England paraphernalia this Summer. Bosses could allow an approved England screen saver to be downloaded onto PCs while making it clear that other programmes are not allowed. It's all about working together to get the right balance between recognising the need for flexibility and making sure business performance doesn't suffer."

ramsac is offering companies a free 'Euro 2004 audit', offering advice on how companies can set-up home and remote working solutions as well as monitor systems usage to make sure staff are working while they're supporting.

" We're not saying let everyone work from home should we lift the cup," concludes May. "Neither are we saying fill the office with flags and bunting! Not everyone likes football or supports the England team. What we are saying is that an England victory could present firms with an exceptional situation. Things have changed since 1966, the working environment and employee attitudes have moved on. Firms need to be prepared for events that would ordinarily keep the HR and IT departments busy and work with their staff to ensure everyone enjoys what could be a wonderful occasion."

For more information regarding ramsac's Euro 2004 Audit please call ramsac on 0870 756 9001 or e-mail info@ramsac.com