MT Finance became the latest UK business to give staff extra flexibility during the World Cup, particularly following England’s overnight World Cup clash with Mexico, as employers across the country sought to balance productivity with employee wellbeing.
The London-based specialist finance firm allowed its 125 employees to begin work at 11am on the Monday morning after the match, recognising that many members of staff would have stayed up to watch the highly anticipated fixture.
MT Finance Chief Executive Joshua Elash said the decision was an easy one.
“It wasn’t a dilemma at all. This was as close to a no-brainer as a business can get,” he said.
Unlike many organisations that have adopted hybrid working, MT Finance does not operate a work-from-home policy, with employees typically expected to arrive at the office between 8.45am and 9am. However, Mr Elash said that if senior managers were planning to stay up for the match, it was only fair that colleagues were given the same opportunity to recover.
“It’s good for morale,” he said. “Some things are more important than a day’s revenue.”
MT Finance joined a growing number of employers introducing temporary flexibility ahead of the fixture, which kicked off during the early hours of the morning. While some businesses opted for later start times, others went further by granting employees the entire day off.
Elsewhere, Manchester-based digital marketing agency MadeByShape offered its 21 employees a full day’s leave, provided client commitments had been met and work schedules had been adjusted in advance.
Co-founder Andy Golpys said the arrangement worked for both staff and the business.
“As long as the work gets done, it doesn’t really matter whether you work that day or catch up the next,” he said. “They appreciate you more, but from a business point of view, we’re not really losing that much.”
Business groups acknowledged that such flexibility would not be practical in every sector. Industries including manufacturing, frontline retail and hospitality were less able to adjust working patterns because of operational demands and customer-facing responsibilities.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) encouraged employers to adopt a pragmatic approach where possible. Assistant general secretary Kate Bell said businesses showing “common sense and understanding” by allowing staff to work from home, start later or rearrange their hours would be rewarded with greater goodwill from employees.
Acas also urged employers to handle requests fairly, noting that workforces would include supporters of both England and Mexico. It reminded employees that last-minute requests for leave might not always be possible, depending on business requirements.
The Federation of Small Businesses suggested smaller companies were often better placed to respond quickly, thanks to shorter decision-making processes and greater operational flexibility.
Meanwhile, the British Chambers of Commerce said employers should communicate clearly with staff and customers to minimise disruption and help maintain productivity.
Not every employer altered its working arrangements. Supermarkets Sainsbury’s and Aldi confirmed it would be business as usual in their stores, while car manufacturer Nissan also maintained normal operating hours.
For firms such as MT Finance, however, the decision reflected a wider recognition that occasional flexibility could deliver long-term benefits for employee engagement, morale and workplace culture, even if it meant sacrificing a few hours of productivity.
