Tens of thousands of Dutch workers phoned in ill during the European Championships in Portugal in 2004, with sickness levels rising 20 percent on days when the Dutch national side played. SEZ, a Dutch insurance company, recently launched a new insurance policy allowing employers in the country to insure themselves against the sudden rise in staff sick days expected during this month's World Cup.

Many companies in Europe have tackled the issue by providing facilities for staff to watch selected games at work, while communicating clear guidelines on acceptable leave policy.

According to GulfTalent.com, the level of productivity loss for Middle East companies may not be as severe as their European counterparts, as many games fall outside working hours.

In addition, there is negligible consumption of alcoholic beverages, a main driver of World Cup related sickness. However, companies with poor or inadequate guidelines are still likely to suffer a disproportionate amount of absenteeism.

The countries covered in the survey included Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Yemen. GulfTalent.com is the Middle East's leading Internet recruitment portal for mid-level and senior professionals.