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Match Day to Monday Mayhem: Planning for Post-Final Absences

This Sunday’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Final is set to be one of the highlights of the sporting calendar. With England in top form and fans across Europe ready to tune in, it’s more than just a football match—it’s a national moment.

But while millions will be focused on the pitch, many businesses may be caught offside the next morning, grappling with a less glamorous reality: a spike in unplanned staff absences.

📊 The Numbers Behind the Absence Surge

If history is anything to go by, major sporting events like this final lead to a measurable increase in workplace absenteeism:

  • After Super Bowl LVIII (2024), a record-breaking 22.6 million U.S. employees planned to miss work the following Monday—up from 18.8 million the year before [Investopedia].

  • The breakdown is telling: 12.9 million had pre-approved leave, 4.8 million swapped shifts, 3.2 million called in sick, and another 3.2 million didn’t inform anyone at all [Investopedia].

  • 12.9 million more were expected to show up late [Investopedia].

  • On top of that, 40% of employees (and nearly 50% of managers) admitted they’d be distracted at work due to post-match coverage, while 36% expected their productivity to drop [HR Dive].

The message is clear: it’s not just about football fever—it’s about workforce disruption.

🎯 It’s Not About Stopping the Fun—It’s About Planning for It

Big sporting events aren’t just entertainment. They’re moments of cultural significance. And from a workforce management perspective, they’re predictable disruption points.

Some organisations will ignore the warning signs and spend Monday scrambling to find cover. Others will prepare in advance, knowing their operations rely on resilience—not luck.

At Connected Data Solutions, we help clients plan for exactly this type of scenario using modern workforce management tools like UKG Pro WFM.

✅ How CDS Helps Clients Stay Match-Fit

Whether you’re running a retail store, managing healthcare shifts, or operating a logistics hub, we equip your team with the tools to navigate unplanned absences with confidence:

  • Predictive absence planning – Spot patterns before they become problems.

  • Flexible shift-swapping workflows – Let employees manage coverage transparently, within policy.

  • Automated triggers and alerts – Stay ahead of schedule gaps.

  • Custom tooling and extensions – Enhance your WFM setup to match real-world needs.

It’s not just about having a rota. It’s about having a rota that adjusts in real time—while maintaining fairness, coverage, and cost control.

🏁 Your Workforce Deserves a Strong Finish

The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Final will likely be remembered for its last-minute goals, tactical brilliance, and national pride. But for operations teams, the goal is far simpler: keep the business running without chaos on Monday morning.

And with the right planning, you can do both.


Need help building resilience into your workforce plans?
CDS helps businesses across industries optimise their UKG Pro WFM setups, prepare for disruption, and maintain performance—even when half the country is watching the game.

📩 Contact us or learn more about our ProCare service for ongoing WFM support.

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