四年一度的全球體育盛事——美加墨世界盃（FIFA World Cup 2026）即將在 6 月 12 日至 7 月 20 日（香港時間）正式開鑼！每逢遇上國際大型體育賽事，HR 往往需要面對同事的「請假潮」、精神不濟，甚至頻繁出現臨時病假（俗稱「射波」）。與其墨守成規，不如順應熱潮，化矛盾為提升團隊凝聚力與僱主品牌的絕佳機會。
⏱️ 2026 美加墨世界盃的「時差考驗」
由於今屆賽事於美加墨舉辦，與香港有著 12 至 16 小時的時差。大部分關鍵淘汰賽、以及 6 月 12 日凌晨 3 點的揭幕戰，在香港的轉播時間皆屬於深夜及清晨時段，球迷同事勢必會通宵熬夜或清晨起床看球賽。
📌 本地經典參考
香港虛擬銀行 ZA Bank 於 2022 年世界盃期間，推出一次性福利：
⚽ 額外 1 天「射波假」：全體員工只要觀看任何一場賽事，翌日即可向上司申請 1 天休假
或
⚽「揸正牌遲到」安排：若不想請假，員工亦可申請在看球賽後的下一個工作日，延遲 2 小時上班。
💡 2026 世界盃期間，我們公司可以怎麼做？
⚽ 額外半天 / 1 天射波假：在世界盃期間，讓同事自行安排放取射波假，鼓勵同事與上司預早溝通安排。
⚽ WFH 在家工作：在重要賽事（如四強、決賽）的翌日，容許員工彈性選擇在家辦公，減少交通時間。
⚽ 彈性工時（Flexi-hours）：容許翌日延遲 1 至 2 小時上班，並於該星期內補回工時。
⚽ 辦公室加油站：舉行賽果預測抽獎，或在茶水間提供免費提神咖啡、清熱涼茶及打氣零食，將世界盃轉化為團隊建設的一部分。
The quadrennial global sports phenomenon—the FIFA World Cup 2026 (hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the US)—will officially kick off from June 12 to July 20 (Hong Kong Time)! Whenever major international sporting events roll around, HR professionals often have to deal with a wave of annual leave requests, low energy levels, and a spike in last-minute sick leave (commonly known as “calling in sick” or sheh-bor). Instead of rigidly sticking to the rules, why not ride the wave? Turn these challenges into an excellent opportunity to enhance team cohesion and strengthen your employer brand.
⏱️ The “Time Zone Challenge” of the 2026 World Cup
Since the matches are hosted in North America, there is a 12-to-16-hour time difference with Hong Kong. Most crucial knockout matches, as well as the opening match at 3:00 AM on June 12, will broadcast late at night or early in the morning Hong Kong time. Football-fan colleagues are bound to stay up all night or wake up at dawn to catch the games.
📌 Local Success Story
During the 2022 World Cup, Hong Kong virtual bank ZA Bank introduced a one-off benefit:
⚽ Extra 1-Day “Call-in-Sick” Special: All employees who watched any match could apply to their supervisors for a 1-day dedicated day off the following day.
OR
⚽ “Official Late-Pass” Arrangement: If employees preferred not to take a full day off, they could opt to start work 2 hours later on the day following a match.
💡 What Can Our Company Do During the 2026 World Cup?
⚽ Extra Half-Day / Full-Day “Special Leave”: Allow colleagues to arrange their own special football leave during the tournament, encouraging them to coordinate and communicate with their managers in advance.
⚽ Work From Home (WFH): On the day following major matches (such as the semi-finals and the final), allow employees the flexibility to work from home to cut down on commute time.
⚽ Flexi-hours: Allow employees to arrive 1 to 2 hours later the next morning, with the condition that they make up the hours within the same week.
⚽ Office Fuel Station: Host match-prediction lucky draws, or stock the pantry with free energizing coffee, cooling herbal tea, and snacks to transform the World Cup excitement into a team-building opportunity.