It is a recognizable fact that the employer has a reasonable amount of control over employees conduct while at work, however, off-duty regulation of workers conduct is limited. This portends that whilst the employee is on duty during official work hours the employer has the backing of the law to regulate and manage their workers conducts in the best possible interest of the organization and that of the worker.
Some of the measures that can be taken to manage the effect of workplace gambling and its consequences will include:

• Ensure that the companys handbook or contract of employment is specific about the rules and regulations of the company and the dos and donts should be properly communicated to the employees. This will include the hours of work and break time allowed.

• Set performance target for the employee and be specific on individual and teams deliverables. When performance standard or target is not in place most employees will pretend to be serious while they are doing their own things at the expense of the organization.

• Investigate and sanction the violation of laid down rules and regulations. Companys rule should be made sacrosanct and administered without favoritism. If a staff member cheats on timing such a staff should be sanctioned accordingly.
• Reward compliance to serve as a motivation for others. Individual and team should be adequately rewarded and a team member that violates the spirit of the team should be identified and excluded from rewards which go to the loyal members of the team.

• Educate and communicate the addictive effects of gambling on your employees. In an article published in Pyscheguides.com, it was reported that Gambling is one of the most insidious of human vices, as it presents the illusion of easy money yet can quickly lead to financial ruin. Uncontrolled gambling is as dangerous as being addicted to hard drugs.

• Never allow your workplace become a gambling joint as it sends the wrong signal to your clients and customers alike. Image entering into a business place and seeing betting tickets all over the floor or staff engrossed in discussions about their wins and losses.

CONCLUSION

This article has focused essentially on the impacts of workplace gambling and its effects on productivity and employees performances and in addressing the legitimacy of gambling in the Nigerian landscape and not on the morality or otherwise of gambling. The writer has equally proffered solutions on what employers and HR handlers could do to mitigate the negative effects of such action on the organization overall wellbeing. It should be noted that by law there are legitimate and licensed gambling in Nigeria but the duty of workforce control and management, to the extent that they dont get unnecessarily distracted and steal employers time, lies with the organization.

Go to:

BETTING AND GAMBLING AT WORKPLACE: EMPLOYMENT REGULATIONS AND THE NIGERIAN LAWS.

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