Apparently, folks have already started gearing up for St. Patrick’s day, which means some employers are preparing for productivity slumps later in the day. These will begin with Friday afternoon liquid lunch lags and stretch into Monday hangover “sick day” call outs.
Kaitlin Madden of The WorkBuzz from CareerBuilder.com says that post-holiday hangovers are becoming a significant issue in the workplace. According to Madden, one survey from an Irish HR firm reported that “nearly a third of employers there expect that some of their staff will call in sick…due to hangovers caused by enthusiastic drinking during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.”
“St Patrick’s Day is a huge celebration for the people of Ireland, but for many bosses the following day is one of lost productivity, something they could do without in the current economic climate,” Alan Price, managing director of Peninsula Ireland, said in a statement.
Madden continues:
If you do plan to partake in St. Patty’s parties, we do recommend moderation and keeping the following in the back of your mind: According to CareerBuilder’s latest survey on calling in sick to work, 70% of employers require a doctor’s note from “sick” employees, 29% check up on employees who call out of work, and 16% said that they’ve fired an employee for calling in sick without a proven or valid excuse.
