Are you getting ready to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday? According to a new Office Team survey, more than 54 percent of workers surveyed say they know someone who has called in sick or made an excuse for skipping work following the big game. That's up from 41 percent in 2016.

About 42 percent of senior managers say playing hooky is the most distracting and annoying employee behavior when it comes to sports, said Dora Onyschak, metro market manager for Robert Half in Central Jersey.

If you can plan the day off, then employers and employees can work around that and hand the workload to another employee.

The survey found that Millennials and men are most likely to skip work the day after the game: 65 percent of professionals ages 18 to 34 play hooky compared to 52 percent of those ages 35 to 54, and 36 percent of those 55 and older. Among men, 63 percent admitted the same, compared to 44 percent of women.

Even if employees show up for work the day after the game, managers need to recognize that they are going to talk about it. She suggested talking about it in a morning meeting to get the initial buzz over with.

But when it comes to playing hooky, it's all about communication. Onyschak said managers need to remind their employees that taking the day off after the Super Bowl is an option if they have personal days that they can schedule. Instead of ditching work, maybe come in a bit later and stay at work longer.

Aside from playing hooky, senior managers admitted to other distracting and annoying employee behavior when it comes to major sporting events:

  • 18 percent complain that workers spend too much time talking sports at the office.
  • 17 percent are upset that employees show up the day after the big game often tired or under the weather.
  • 15 percent cited being a poor sport or overly competitive as an annoying behavior.
  • 8 percent say some employees overdo it when it comes to team decorations or attire at the office.

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