What Can Workplaces Take From The World Cup?

With the World Cup slowly ending, workplaces in England are having to contend with perhaps an unusual fact. The England football team has managed to reach the last four teams, with a final within touching distance.

What this means, is that on Wednesday night England will contest the second semi-final with Croatia for a place in the final. If they win this, then a spot to try and win the much-coveted trophy awaits and the chance to break a 52-year drought beckons.

For many workplaces, there will be the expectation that some employees suddenly ‘take ill’ out of nowhere or perhaps even come into work more than a little hungover. Employees should try and remember that the workplace is still for work though, no matter how accommodating their employer may be.

But there are some habits that the offices around the country can take on board from the World Cup, using the example of the courageous team to encourage a better work environment. We take a look at three important things that can be learned.

Achieving A World Cup Requires Team Work

Football at its very heart is a sport that very much relies on a team that works together and communicates well. Star players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi can bring up a team’s spirit, but they alone are not capable of pushing teams to greater heights – they must have a team that supports and encourages.

This is the same for the workplace. The teams that remain in the semi-finals of the World Cup have some of the best teamwork on the pitch, communicating with each other to work as a seamless unit. By getting employees to work together as a team, there is less chance for irritations to arise which could negatively impact work productivity.

It can also mean that the morale of the workplace will improve as people understand each other better and feel more comfortable with talking about the problems they may be having.

Exemplifying Innovation

Football players and teams are constantly having to innovate to improve themselves in their quest to achieve whatever glory is in their grasp. The sport itself has changed throughout the years, such as the introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) for the 2018 World Cup. This has allowed the on-pitch referee to consult with the VAR to establish crucial decisions, resulting in penalties or goals being allowed or disallowed.

And just like in football, the workplace is constantly having to innovate itself as well. With technology moving at a fast pace lately, it’s the workplaces who adapt best that will move forward. From the introduction of computers decades ago to the rise of voice assisted technology today, it’s important that workplaces adopt new technology to keep themselves fresh and capable of competing against other businesses.

Employing Patience

Patience is often something that many people struggle with and it can have particularly negative effects in the workplace if people try to rush. Although it may not look it sometimes, football players often must engage in patience while they wait for the perfect opening to strike.

It is also important for a team to be patient, as going too hard too early can mean teams tire themselves out, leaving themselves vulnerable for the opposing side. In a workplace, it is just as important to remember that things will not happen instantly. Workers who lose their temper may also have a negative effect on the overall feeling of the workplace, with people feeling they must tip-toe around certain employees.