Get best out of Cup mad staff

Prepare: Fans may be tired and distracted during the Cup. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Rugby World Cup has kicked off, unleashing with it a sense of national pride, fun and excitement. These factors lend themselves to a sense of engagement, whether at work or play.

High employee engagement is what all employers want as research shows a direct correlation with bottom-line measures such as profitability and productivity.

Engaged employees produce higher sales, greater teamwork, loyalty and customer service, and less absenteeism.

So how do we get the best out of people during the Cup, when they are likely to be distracted, fatigued and would rather be watching the games than be at work?

Whether you are a business owner, employee or manager, be mindful of these over the next five weeks:

Business as usual: The workplace is likely to feel different and adjustments will have to be made, so manage your expectations. Manage staff leave and sick days, and extra staff may be needed.

Logistics: Notice what's working and what's not, and make adjustments accordingly. Are your workforce and business-planning requirements accurate as the weeks pan out? Do you need specialist resources? Can you afford to allow more people to take annual leave?

Flexibility: Plan for all the things you can anticipate. However, what often gets us is the unexpected. By having mental and emotional agility, you will be able to deal with whatever comes your way.

Fairness: Whatever actions you take, ensure that they are not only fair but perceived as being fair. There is life beyond the Cup and what you do now will help build the emotional bank account.

Communication: Consistent communication is necessary to keep people engaged and focused on the right things.

Have a game plan and play off the mantra of communication, flexibility and fairness, and you will score well with your customers and people alike.

Social media: How can you use social media to a good end, such as to find the latest information on crowd build and traffic congestion? What is your policy on social media? Does this change during the Cup and do people know about this?

Teamwork: The Cup offers a practical opportunity to build a sense of camaraderie and foster greater team work, attitudes and behaviours. You could initiate a regular discussion on how your team compares or contrasts with the key team behaviours that the All Blacks and other winning teams will be demonstrating.

Underused strengths: In your daily role, you may have particular skills that you have a talent for or are motivated by. You may be good at organising events and creating a spirit of celebration. This could be an ideal time to demonstrate those skills and open up future opportunities.

Diversity: Be mindful that not everyone enjoys rugby and while they may join in the spirit of things - or be so over it - let that be an okay part of your culture as well. Model tolerance with the message that differences are okay as diversity creates enrichment. "One size fits all" is not what leads to creativity and innovation.

When healthy rivalry crosses the line: Rivalry can be fun and energising but sometimes things can turn serious. If this happens, do acknowledge it and remind people what is acceptable and what the rules and consequences are.

There may well be a temporary dip in energy and engagement after the games. Get input and feedback from team members and continue to build on some of the more successful initiatives beyond the games.

In the meantime, let's cheer for the All Blacks and hope that on October 23, New Zealand is awash with a buzz and there is a proud Kiwi in every corner of the globe.