Person on laptopMost firms will allow staff to work flexibly during the Olympics or watch events in the office, while some will encourage employees to work from home, according to a new study.

Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) among 500 employers found that a third will try to accommodate requests to work from home and almost one in five will extend flexible arrangements so they can avoid potential transport disruption.

Travel Insurance Tips

A third of public sector employers are planning to restrict leave during the Games to cope with extra demand on services such as transport.

Rebecca Clake, of the CIPD, said: "There are a range of options available to employers to enable them to balance the requirements of the business with the interests and needs of employees.

"Options such as flexi-time and home working can enable employees in parts of the country likely to face travel disruption as a result of the Olympics to spend their time working rather than stuck in traffic jams or adding to the pressure likely to be faced by our public transport system.

"Many employers are making provisions to enable employees to watch key events in the workplace, recognising that the Olympics is an opportunity to build morale and employee engagement."