People watching the World Cup during work hours is leading to a drop in productivity

The global economy may be suffering from lost productivity as people get swept by World Cup fever, a survey shows. This small business owner would know. She's spent most of her days watching matches.

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AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Like many people around the world, chances are you have probably spent at least some of your time watching the World Cup over the past five weeks, even, dare I say, while at work? Well, NPR's Rafael Nam has the story of one small business owner who has somehow managed to watch almost every single game.

RAFAEL NAM, BYLINE: Desiree Lomer-Clarke is usually not a huge sports fan, with one big exception.

DESIREE LOMER-CLARKE: In my family, when the World Cup is on, everything comes to a halt.

NAM: And that can be a little bit challenging when your business is walking and training dogs. Nonetheless, she scheduled all her meetings around the World Cup games.

LOMER-CLARKE: I convinced this person to meet me in the middle of her workday. Like, now I'm affecting other people's, you know, work because I want them on my soccer schedule.

NAM: Lomer-Clarke is far from the only person who has gone all in when it comes to the World Cup. Payroll provider UKG surveyed people around the world, and more than a third said they would adjust an entire work schedule around matches. A quarter even admitted they would be willing to push the limits of what their manager would put up with. That honestly surprised Russell Howe, who helped oversee the report.

RUSSELL HOWE: Eleven percent of folks actually said, you know, I'm admittedly telling you now I'm going to probably have a hangover and not be very productive. That was a very honest picture they were able to present for us then.

NAM: In fact, UKG says the U.S. could face nearly $12 billion in lost productivity during the World Cup. Now, it's difficult to know how much will actually be lost, but Lomer-Clarke, for one, acknowledges she hasn't been fully there during her workdays.

LOMER-CLARKE: I've been tired. I've been sleepy, and I've been half checked-in to work.

NAM: So now that the World Cup is heading to an end, you would think she'll be excited to be getting her regular days back and no longer having to stay up past 11 to keep watching games. But instead, she sounds almost wistful.

LOMER-CLARKE: It's been really fun to have something to look forward to and to do for this past month so far.

NAM: And the realization that there's only a few games left is hitting her hard.

LOMER-CLARKE: Like, it's bumming me out. I don't like the party to stop.

NAM: But this Sunday, the party will stop, at least until the next one. It's four years away.

Rafael Nam, NPR News.

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