While a recent survey asked just employers in Malaysia about the game's impact, HR departments all over the world have had to contend with their own Pokémon Go headaches.
The game has prompted 4% of employers from 150 companies polled in Malaysia to fire their employees for playing on the job, according to a survey by the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).
The survey also found that employers warned their staff against playing during work hours, issued warning letters and dished out suspensions without pay. The overwhelming number of employers (95%) also prohibited their employees from accessing the app at work.
Another 25% of employers acknowledge catching their staff playing during work hours, while 11% say their employees are taking a longer lunch to hunt Pokémon Go monsters. “Some 96% also prohibit workers from using the company e-mail address to sign up for the game,” said MEF executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan.