Employers may incur costs due to employees watching World Cup matches.

With the soccer World Cup dominating conversations at work, employers are likely to face challenges in maintaining productivity as employees' attention is diverted away from their duties. A recent study reveals that many workers may struggle to arrive at the office during the tournament period.

The upcoming soccer World Cup is poised to dominate workplace conversations, potentially leading to distracted employees who struggle to arrive at work, according to a recent study released on Tuesday that sheds light on this issue.

Global employers may face a significant financial burden due to employee participation in the World Cup, with estimated losses totaling $17 billion in lost productivity from June 11 to July 19.

Employees' productivity may suffer due to their World Cup enthusiasm, with a significant proportion arriving late, departing early, or taking unauthorized absences, affecting overall work performance and potentially incurring costs for employers.

A recent survey conducted by UKG, a leading AI platform for HR, payroll, and workforce management, polled 8,000 workers in key countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Britain and the United States.

The upcoming World Cup expansion brings together 48 participating countries for a total of 104 matches across three host nations: the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Lost productivity costs associated with the tournament are estimated to reach $11.7 billion in the United States, followed by Germany at $1.34 billion, as per UKG's calculation.

The impact of absenteeism and presenteeism on productivity is substantial when it occurs on a large scale, resulting in immediate and significant costs for employers. Productivity plummets, customer satisfaction declines, and team morale suffers as colleagues struggle to compensate for absent coworkers.

Managers, too, can't resist the allure of a thrilling World Cup matchup. A significant number, 42%, intend to schedule a personal day, while 45% will request flexible working arrangements at short notice.