Super Bowl Monday: 3 ways the big game hurts your business

Think those companies that spend $2.5 million for a 30-second Super Bowl commercial are crazy? Companies everywhere are losing millions on the big game — and they’re not even getting anything in return.

February 7 is Super Bowl Sunday. But your company is likely to feel the effects well before and after teams take the field.

And it ain’t cheap.

The Super Bowl is the sporting event second only to March Madness in terms of lost employee productivity. But there are some other eye-opening stats that will have companies making some plays of their own.

Here’s what’s worth overlooking and what you’ll want to act on ASAP:

Stat #1: U.S. businesses lose $850 million in employee productivity the week before the Super Bowl

This is the stat that gets bandied about most often. People are making their predictions, planning their parties … all on the clock. The figure is based on the assumption that folks spend 10 minutes per workday distracted by the championship.

Best course of action? Nothing. Folks will always find something to talk about. Coming down on game talk could do more harm than good in terms of morale.

Stat #2: Employers lose another $150 million in productivity the day after the Super Bowl

Everybody’s going to have an opinion about last night’s game, the halftime show, the commercials, etc. No wonder it’s the hottest topic the morning after.

Best course of action? Nada, again. Let the Monday-morning quarterbacks have at it – odds are it won’t last longer than Monday morning. Once folks collect their office pool winnings and say their “I told you so’s” everyone will get back to business. Exception: If people start complaining that their co-workers just don’t know when to quit, you may have to speak up.

Stat #3: 1.5 million members of U.S. workforce call in sick to work on Super Bowl Monday

Too much partying and too late a night mean lots of last minute callouts that Monday morning, leaving many employers in the lurch.

Best course of action? This is one you can do something about. While your company certainly cannot sanction a “Super Bowl recovery day,” you can encourage people who know they’ll be doing a lot of celebrating to think about scheduling the day off in advance. That leaves you a lot less likely your department will get unexpectedly caught short. (You might even lay some non-publicized backup plans for staffers who are notoriously out the day after the game.)

Stat #4: 4.4 million employees may arrive late to work the Monday after the Super Bowl

Just because they’ll make it in doesn’t mean they’ll make it in on time! More people take some extra liberties with their start time on this day than call out — three times more people.

Best course of action? Beat ’em to the punch. As long as your company isn’t supremely strict, think about telling folks they can come in a half hour later on Monday. That little bit of flexibility may keep them from rolling in at 10 or 10:30! This is especially a good idea if you have many staffers aged 18-34. They’re the group most likely to shift their hours this day, with or without your blessing.

How does this policy jibe with how your company handles the Super bowl? Share your experiences here.