Butler, David and Butler, Robert and Farnell, Alex and Simmons, Robert
(2023)
COVID-19 infections and short-run worker performance: Evidence from European football.
European Journal of Operational Research.
ISSN 0377-2217
Abstract
COVID-19 infections represent a recurrent source of workplace absenteeism impacting labour productivity. Using
a unique matched employee-employer dataset, we consider the effects of the virus on the performance of highly
valuable employees when returning to work: professional footballers in the top five European leagues. This offers
a window to study job scheduling and managerial decision-making. We employ a difference-in-differences (DiD)
model that compares the performance of infected players to a matched control group for game tasks that require
physical exertion. Results suggest that per-minute performance is unaffected upon returning to play. This is likely
due to effective management of minutes on the pitch. We carry out a battery of checks on the primary results to
consider causal mechanisms outside of infection that could impact the results such as lockdown breaks, clusters
within squads, and scheduling effects. The findings carry an optimistic message and specifically speak to managers supervising physical labour. If appropriately managed, infected workers can return to past performance
levels.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Keywords: |
OR in sport; Productivity; Performance; Football;
COVID-19; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics, Finance and Accounting |
| Item ID: |
19132 |
| Identification Number: |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2023.12.017 |
| Depositing User: |
Dr Alexander Farnell
|
| Date Deposited: |
31 Oct 2024 11:51 |
| Journal or Publication Title: |
European Journal of Operational Research |
| Publisher: |
Elsevier |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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