The World Cup in Companies: Corporate TV | Qatar 2022

Besides some Apps that already existed in the software and could already carry out certain dynamics on companies' Corporate TV channels, the following 4 new Apps specifically for the Qatar World Cup are now available:

For companies that want to go even further and broadcast key matches on some of their screens, there can be programming so that, at game time, the screens stop showing their corporate channel and start broadcasting the channel where the game is being aired. This is, in fact, a strategy already used by some Shopping Centers that adopted the World VDS software for managing their screens, which happens annually on the days of the most important matches.

Indeed, there are several factors in this World Cup that set it apart from all others, so the excitement among employees should be much greater than in previous editions. Some of them are:

• 1st World Cup is held in winter, meaning players will arrive at the tournament in peak form;
• A workforce with an unprecedented number of foreigners in companies, resulting in a diverse workforce cheering for different countries;
• 2 public holidays during the World Cup period (December 1st and 8th), both on Thursdays, possibly leading to extended weekends for many employees;
• An unprecedented number of employees working from home;
• Several technological innovations were introduced, starting with the ball, which has a sensor that sends its data to the video control room 500 times per second, allowing for very precise detection of the point of kick and offside positions;
• An estimated 1 million international spectators (the highest number of visitors ever), with an estimated 1,300 daily flights in the country;
• Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup – the greatest Portuguese player of all time – and possibly Messi's last as well, both of whom have dominated football for the past two decades;
• 1st World Cup in the Middle East and only the second in Asia. The last time the FIFA World Cup visited a new region was in South Africa (Africa) in 2010;
• Over 200 billion euros in investment (far exceeding any sports organization to date – a value equivalent to the total wealth produced by Portugal in a whole year). Bloomberg gives an even higher estimate of 300 billion euros.

Besides these factors, others are associated with the fact that the World Cup in Qatar is surrounded by controversy, leading to many contentious issues during the tournament, such as:

• The legitimacy of how Qatar won the tournament bid;
• Qatar's human rights record, including concerns about the treatment of women, LGBTQ+ members, and migrant workers;
• Around 6,750 migrant workers died during the stadium construction;
• The strong Islamic conservatism in the country, which, for example, prohibits public drunkenness (something quite common among fans during World Cups) and criminalizes homosexuality;
• Extremely high temperatures during the tournament (leading all stadiums to be equipped with a central air conditioning system).

When all these points of interest and controversy are combined with the fact that about half of the matches will be played during working hours, it becomes clear what impact this mega event could have on companies. It is therefore up to companies to seize this moment to strengthen employee engagement and be as effective as possible.

In addition to the huge benefits that companies can gain from engaging their employees through a Corporate TV system that shares the most relevant information about the World Cup, various other complementary initiatives can be undertaken to strengthen team spirit in companies. This can encourage employees to become brand ambassadors and increase the company's visibility in the market, for example, through social media shares. Some suggestions are:

1. Flexible working hours

This action, which could be extended later, can offer a great benefit to employees, providing them with the opportunity to balance their professional and personal lives with ease. In the context of the World Cup, this aspect could be especially important, particularly with critical company services, allowing for a balance between employees who are less enthusiastic about football and those who don't want to miss an important match, agreeing to make up the time later during lunch or after hours.

2. Watching matches at work

If possible, allow the entire team to watch some of the matches together at work. This will give everyone the opportunity to engage and share in the excitement of football with their colleagues.

3. Providing fan accessories

Distributing accessories like scarves, hats, or flags is a practice that some companies promote during World Cups, where they take the opportunity to add their logo or another key graphic element of the company. This initiative can be relevant for promoting the company's image in posts employees might make, while also creating shared apparel among the staff.

4. Relaxed dress code

Introducing a relaxed dress code can allow employees to embrace the World Cup spirit, even wearing their national team jerseys. Besides generating some laughs, this creates a very positive atmosphere in the workplace.

5. Providing snacks and drinks

For companies that allow employees to watch some matches during working hours, ensure there is a small stock of food and drinks. For the more Health-conscious, a variety of fresh fruits and nuts will suffice.

6. Creating special areas

Providing a relaxed lounge area for employees to watch the matches can later be repurposed for future breaks, helping them relax and recharge. Having such an area in the workplace will also allow companies to set boundaries between work and fun, so employees understand that when they sit at their desks, they are there to focus on their work goals for the day.

7. Contests

Among the various initiatives that can be created around contests, one basic idea is to have each employee, a few days before the World Cup starts, write down on paper the three teams they think will go the farthest, with a point system for each predicted position. At the end, the winner could be awarded the team’s No. 7 jersey. In cases where companies are very large, each manager can run the contest with their own team.

8. Company’s “Golden Team”

During the World Cup, launch the “Golden Team” campaign where, at the end of the tournament, each employee can nominate a colleague (not from their direct team) who stood out in some action related to one of the company's values. After the votes are tallied, the top five people will form the company's Golden Team, which should be featured on a bulletin board or the Corporate TV channel if the company has one. The suggestion not to vote for someone from their own team will help stimulate communication and involvement among employees. As in the previous case, winners could be awarded personalized jerseys with their name and favorite number on the back.