As the highly anticipated clash between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs for the Lombardi trophy approaches, businesses across the United States are preparing for a potential outbreak of the “Super flu” on the Monday following the Super Bowl. According to a survey conducted by UKG, a provider of human resources, payroll, and workforce management solutions, an estimated 16.1 million U.S. employees are planning to call in sick after the game on February 11 in Las Vegas.
The survey also revealed that a substantial portion of the workforce anticipates disruptions on Monday, with 22.5 million employees, constituting 14% of the workforce, expecting to miss at least some work. Additionally, 45 million employees predict they will be less productive than usual.
Derek Stevens, owner and CEO of several Las Vegas casinos, including Circa, highlighted the significance of the phenomenon, stating, “The Monday after Super Bowl has become the number one day in absenteeism or people taking a vacation day.” Stevens emphasized that the day has gained immense importance in the gaming industry, ranking among the top 10 days of the year for gambling.
The survey findings align with the anticipated surge in betting on the Super Bowl, as a record 67.8 million American adults are expected to wager a staggering $23.1 billion, according to the American Gaming Association. Stevens attributed the impact on Super Bowl Monday to the event’s popularity in Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl is consistently sold out. The high demand for flights on Monday prompts many to extend their stay and leave on Tuesday instead, contributing to the unique gambling atmosphere on the day after the game.
Stevens explained, “What it’s done is it has created this event like the Sunday night after the game is over. It’s crazy. People are betting like crazy because either you won a lot of money, so you want to bet more, or lost a lot of money and trying to get it back. Monday people are hanging around all day then they hit the bricks on Tuesday.”
With Super Bowl Monday emerging as a distinctive cultural phenomenon and a day of heightened activity in the gaming industry, businesses are gearing up for the potential impact on absenteeism and decreased productivity as employees nationwide recover from the excitement of the Super Bowl festivities.
