The European Championship 2024 kicked off last week, with twenty-four European nations participating across 10 venues in Germany hope of being crowned the kings of Europe. Across the UK, Scottish and English football fans will be hoping their nations bring the glory home. With many games scheduled to be played around the mid-afternoon and late in the night, absenteeism and lateness may affect many salons and barbershops.
In this blog, we look at what employers should consider during national and international events such as the European championship.
This blog covers:
- Workplace sweepstake
- Unauthorised absences
- Under the influence of alcohol
- No-shows and cancellations
- Charging fees for no-shows and late cancellations
- TV licencing rules
- TV in the workplace viewing guide
Workplace sweepstake
Many businesses may plan to organise a company sweepstakes to raise money for good causes, or just for fun, as part of the tournament. You can run a lottery, raffle, tombola, or sweepstake with people you work with without needing a license. This type of activity is known as a work lottery.
To comply with gambling laws, everyone who is taking part in a work lottery must work at the same physical location, such as a salon or barbershop. It's not permissible to run a work lottery across multiple sites or through email or phone. You can only sell tickets to anyone present on the premises.
Unauthorised absences
It is estimated that 7.2 million employees will call in sick each working day of the tournament to see a game - or to recover from match-related drinking the night before.
Employers should monitor the level of absences in accordance with their attendance policy. Any unauthorised absences could result in disciplinary action.
If your employee does take unauthorised time off, repeatedly comes in late or doesn’t follow the correct procedures, you may have to take formal action. NHBF Members have access to a free 24/7 employment and HR helpline. Always get legal advice before taking any formal or disciplinary action. Find out more about legal benefits for Members.
Employees can fill out these forms for the first seven days of illness or incapacity. This product is available as an electronic download free of charge.
Read this blog for further details on annual leave, absentees and lateness.
Under the influence of alcohol
It is estimated around 38 million pints of beer were consumed during the last World Cup in the UK. It is important to remember that anyone caught drinking at work or under the influence of alcohol in the workplace could be subject to disciplinary proceedings.
Remember: if you serve alcoholic drinks to clients – even if you offer them for free – you need to be licensed. The exact requirements vary depending on where you are in the UK. Read our blog post to find out more.
No-shows and cancellations
No-shows and late cancellations are frustrating and can seriously affect your cash flow and profit levels.
You can take steps to reduce no-shows and late cancellations, for example:
Build up good relationships with your clients. If they feel committed to your business and valued as an individual, they will be less likely to let you down. Find out more about building good relationships with your clients.
Send out reminder text messages a few days in advance of the appointment. Software systems can be used to send out automated appointment reminder messages. Download our free guide to salon software.
Charging fees for no-shows and late cancellations
What does the law say?
The law says you cannot have a no-show or late-cancellations policy that imposes unfair financial penalties on your clients.
You must balance the rights of your client and your rights to cover your financial losses. Options include charging a cancellation fee, requesting a deposit or requesting advance payment.
Be flexible
Always be reasonable and flexible when applying your no-show/late-cancellations policy. Don’t automatically penalise clients, especially when dealing with longstanding clients.
You can read this blog which gives further details on how to handle no-shows and late cancellations.
TV licensing rules
To avoid staff going absent or provide the opportunity for clients to watch the tournament while they get treatment, a salon or barbershop may consider having the games on the television. While this is a great idea to get involved and be part of the tournament business owners risk being fined if they do not follow the rules of having a TV license in their business.
When is a TV Licence needed in hair and beauty salons and barbershops?
Salons and barbershops need a TV Licence if they provide a TV or tablet for customers or staff to watch live TV programmes or BBC programmes on iPlayer. If the business falls foul of not having a licence, the business risks prosecution and a penalty fine of up to £1,000.
You may still need a TV licence even if you don’t have a television in your salon or barbershop.
TV in the workplace viewing guide
To help businesses and staff understand the legal implications of watching programmes live at work, TV Licensing has produced a downloadable “TV in the Workplace” guide. The guide allows managers to outline whether a TV Licence covers the business and whether staff and customers are allowed to watch TV in the workplace.
Download the template here. Find out more on the TV Licensing website.
Tina Beaumont-Goddard, Director of Membership of the NHBF, says: “Clients indulge in time out at the hairdressers or barbers, which is why many salon owners like to enhance their experience with television. As TV screens are becoming standard in salons and barbershops, we hope business owners will take note and purchase a TV licence.
The NHBF regularly reminds business owners that having a licence is a legal requirement, and we will continue to do so as more and more businesses add televisions to their offering.”