CEO Grants Employees Late Start... With One Condition

England Match Sparks Workplace Debate

Every Decision Has Supporters and Opponents (Reuters)

London: Asharq Al-Awsat

Published: 13:02-8 July 2026 — 23 Muharram 1448 AH

London: Asharq Al-Awsat

Published: 13:02-8 July 2026 — 23 Muharram 1448 AH

CEO Grants Employees Late Start... With One Condition

Every Decision Has Supporters and Opponents (Reuters)

A CEO decided to delay her employees' start time the morning after England's World Cup match, sparking a wave of harsh criticism online.

Charlie Gillespie Smith offered her employees a late start the day after the England vs. Mexico match, on condition that they provide proof they watched the game.

The website My London reported that while some praised the move as a great workplace perk, others accused the London CEO of seeking attention and described the policy as 'provocative'.

What some see as a perk, others see as provocation (Reuters)

The social media agency Lasting Lemons had informed its employees that they could come in at 11 a.m. instead of 9:30 a.m., provided they submit a photo or video proving they watched the England match.

The offer quickly went viral online, sparking a torrent of criticism from angry users. One wrote: 'This must be provocative.'

Gillespie Smith had posted her internal announcement, saying: 'Since the England match kicks off at 1 a.m. on Monday, I'm happy to give everyone a break and start work at 11 a.m. instead of 9:30 a.m. There's just one condition... you must send a photo or video proving you watched the match, as evidence that you earned those extra hours of sleep. Whether you're watching from home or at a pub, make sure to document it. Anyone who doesn't provide proof starts work at 9:30 a.m. as usual.'

Another critic added: 'Virtue signaling at its finest.' A third commented: 'What a weird email.' While a fourth wrote: 'This is definitely very provocative.'

Another person sarcastically asked: 'Are employees required to film their vomit if they get sick?' But Charlie defended her decision, emphasizing that it helps build a positive work culture. She said: 'I think giving people the chance to enjoy special events, even amid work pressure, helps create a positive environment. We're a social media agency, we work very hard and at unusual hours, so I make sure to be flexible when major events like the World Cup come along.'

She added: 'It's easy to achieve when you have a dedicated team. We have a WhatsApp group, and everyone sent messages like "Best boss ever."'

Trust... is not measured by hours (Reuters)

The email had been sent to employees on July 2, ahead of the England match, allowing them to benefit from late attendance provided they showed proof of watching the game.

Charlie said the policy reflects the company's approach to flexibility and work-life balance.

She explained: 'Our team has 10 people, and each one made their own decision. Some are big England fans and went out to watch the match, some watched from bed, while others preferred to get enough sleep.'

As criticism mounted online, members of the Lasting Lemons team rallied to defend their boss. In a video posted by the agency on its TikTok account, one employee said: 'Our boss is getting a lot of flak because she allowed us to watch the England match. Is that reasonable?'

Many supported the idea, calling for more employers to follow this boss's example.

One supporter wrote: 'Every company should be like this.' Another fan commented: 'This is what a perfect company to work for really looks like.'

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Egyptian Arts Sectors to Overcome 'Sudden Resignation' of Culture Minister

Previous tribute to resigned Egyptian Culture Minister Jihan Zaki (Egyptian Ministry of Culture)

Cairo: Ahmed Adly

Published: 18:06-8 July 2026 — 23 Muharram 1448 AH

Cairo: Ahmed Adly

Published: 18:06-8 July 2026 — 23 Muharram 1448 AH

Egyptian Arts Sectors to Overcome 'Sudden Resignation' of Culture Minister

Previous tribute to resigned Egyptian Culture Minister Jihan Zaki (Egyptian Ministry of Culture)

Egyptian arts and culture sectors are seeking to absorb and overcome the 'sudden resignation' submitted by Culture Minister Jihan Zaki after a final court ruling convicted her in a case of infringement of intellectual property rights by a ruling from the Court of Cassation, where Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Abdel Aziz Qansowa was assigned as Acting Minister of Culture.

The minister's resignation came less than five months after her appointment to the post, after she took the constitutional oath before President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in February last year as part of the third Madbouly government, succeeding Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hano.

The Egyptian Ministry of Culture's agenda includes a number of events scheduled to be held in the coming weeks, including the National Festival of Egyptian Theater, the Citadel Festival for Music and Singing, in addition to the activities of the Alexandria International Book Fair, which launched days ago and the resigned minister was absent from its opening, alongside the initiative to revive 'school theater' organized by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Ministries of Education and Higher Education.

Minister of Higher Education and assigned to take over the Ministry of Culture during his presence in Uzbekistan (Egyptian Cabinet)

During Zaki's tenure in the ministry, she approved a number of changes in several sectors, the latest of which was at the end of last month, appointing Dr. Reda El-Wakeel as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Opera House, succeeding Maestro Alaa Abdel Salam, who was not renewed in the post.

The Minister of Higher Education is in Uzbekistan to participate in the first Forum of Islamic Civilization, a forum the resigned minister apologized for accompanying him to, while a source at the ministry told Asharq Al-Awsat that 'all official correspondence that requires the minister's approval will be presented to Qansowa as soon as he returns from abroad, next Saturday at the latest.'

The source added that 'the resigned minister did not leave any urgent matters before submitting her resignation to the Prime Minister, with no papers requiring urgent signature,' noting that 'the only impact is related to some commitments she was supposed to attend this week and next, and it is assumed that the top official in each sector will deputize for her, which is a routine procedure in case of the minister's absence.'

The director of the National Center for Theater, Music, and Folk Arts, Adel Hassan, told Asharq Al-Awsat that work is proceeding normally and has not been affected by the minister's resignation, as all administrative and organizational matters have not been affected by any change, noting that the 'Egyptian Theater' initiative, for example, is proceeding as planned, along with the continuation of all previously scheduled work without change.