We all know Americans are into the Super Bowl, probably no more than our own Tina Vigoa, McHenry’s Director of Recruiting. The Game, the Fans, The Commercials, The Halftime Show, The Food, The Parties… Oh The Parties… The Parties may actually be the reason why annually on the Monday following the Super Bowl, Tina proposes the question… “Why isn’t today a National Holiday??”
The question is reasonable enough. It is an event celebrated by most Americans, even those that don’t dedicate any given Sunday to football. It runs late and is consumed along with lots of food and usually a fair amount of booze.
So, how do you feel? Do you personally agree with Tina? Do you feel like most Americans would agree with Tina?
Well, Business Insider decided to ask, they ran an Audience Poll with Survey Monkey in January of 2019. They asked participants if they were in favor of designating the Monday after the Super Bowl a holiday. Sorry Tina, a surprising 77% of those asked were not in favor of the idea and only 23% said they wanted the holiday.
What was the breakdown? Well men were more in favor of the idea than women, but not overwhelmingly, just 28% of male respondents were in favor of the declaration. The younger the participant, the more in favor of the holiday, with only 13% of those over 60 feeling like it was a good idea.
Whether you feel like the idea is a good one or not, experts agree that the day after the Super Bowl costs. It costs some with nasty hot wing / boozy hangovers, but it does cost Employers with lost productivity cutting right to the bottom line.
Captivate’s Office Pulse estimates that companies will lose an estimated $484 million in work productivity.
People don’t show, people come in late, people spend too much time chatting about the game. Whatever it is, you may force people to be present, but studies show, a lot are not really there. A 2018 Kronos survey reported 13.9 million Americans call out for work the Monday after the Super Bowl. That is a fair number of employees.
In the name of research, I decided to take an unofficial, unscientific, completely not confidential, poll at the McHenry Offices.
So, how did we break down. Surprisingly, McHenry was close, but we fell in line with the Business Insider poll. 43% were pro holiday and 57% were a hard no.
Those in favor of the holiday, we will call them, Team Tina, had this to say about the idea:
- “Sure, why not, I am in favor of more holidays…” Josh Reiss.
- Leave it to Dan to somehow incorporate banking into a Super Bowl holiday question. He was in favor but requested it be work and banking break. \
- We all know how Tina feels, and she has this to say, “It is just a healthy way to recover and approach the week ahead. If companies loose so much in productivity, why not gain a little in good will and give the people he day off.”
Some were in clear opposition:
- Kelly Park, had a logical response, what is next, do we need every day after a booze infused holiday off, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo?
- Barry, properly states that if he has to work Boxing Day, then well, take your own personal day if you want it off.
- Matt sums it up simply, “You wanna play, you godda pay.”
Whatever side of the debate you sit, or whether you will be rooting for the 49ers or the Chiefs, do so responsibly, and we will see you Monday. You too Tina. 🙂
The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will face off in Super Bowl 54 this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
https://www.businessinsider.com/day-after-super-bowl-holiday-2019-1
https://fortune.com/2019/02/01/2019-super-bowl-liii-productivity-loss/
