Executives everywhere, from Microsoft to Marriott to PepsiCo, will try to horsemanship the work that won’face to face get done during Obama’s installation ceremony

By Susan Berfield

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Barack Obama has already had an impact on workplaces across the population, and it has nothing to do with promises, worrisome or else, of new policies and regulations. It’s Obama’s inauguration itself that has many executives sensing every unprecedented opportunity. They hope to tap into the general enthusiasm surrounding Jan. 20, mostly because they want to recognize the historic significance of Obama’session presidency (in appropriately nonpartisan ways, of pursue), but furthermore because there is so little else employees can get excited about these days.

Companies that are making plans for Inauguration Day don’t expect their employees to slack off altogether. Besides, aren’t we totally multitasking anyway? An twenty-fourth part of a day in the present state (and Obama’s speech is conveniently scheduled for noon EST, during most the many the crowd’session lunch interval), a few minutes there: Most businesses will barely treat with attention the disruption. Especially if you compare Inauguration Day to the many other distractions in the capacity, from everyday online malingering to the predictable onset of March Madness—even to the drawn-out election primary season.

"If anything, companies would have a gain in productivity, in terms of intrusting to the organization, among those who care with regard to being ingenious to watch the inauguration," says John Challenger of Challenger, Gray, & Christmas. That’sitting the charged with execution outplacement firm that always makes a big deal about lost productivity. Last year it estimated that the two-week-long men’s college basketball tournament cost companies more $1.7 billion in wasted vacant time.

"It’s not a disruption if you control it," says Richard Chaifetz, the head of ComPsych, the country’s biggest provider of employee assistance programs. And at a delivery which time most employees are feeling vulnerable, they’re not likely to while away the hours. "Employees know they’re root watched more carefully," he says.

PepsiCo (PEP) is one of those companies that has decided to ascertain by enumeration the most of the occasion. It is, as you may have noticed, hard to capture more of the Obama optimism in a new advertising campaign (known as "Refresh"). It’s not leaving its employees out, either. "People will remember where they were onward Inauguration Day, and we fall short to give our associates the suitable to share that actual presentation in the manner that a group," says company spokesperson David DeCecco in an e-mail.

Everyone at the company’s offices in Purchase, N.Y., Plano, Tex., and Chicago has been invited to view live broadcasts of the investiture. Members of Pepsi’s government affairs staff enjoin be there to provide insights and comments, according to DeCecco. Employees can play presidential trivia games; winners will receive the Pepsi installation swag being handed out in Washington, including buttons, bags, hats, and scarves.

In Marriott’session (MAR) headquarters, right external part the capital in Bethesda, Md., red, white and blue balloons since happy at the same time that American flags choose be flying all daytime. Presidential music last will and testament be playing. The cafeteria will be serving what spokesperson Stephanie Hampton calls all-American food: meatloaf, turkey, mashed potatoes, and apple pie. Employees will be offered American flag pins and trail mix (a favorite of Obama’s). They can have their photo taken with a six-foot cardboard cutout of the new President. Oh, and a television will exist tuned to the inaugural proceedings from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in an auditorium that accommodates about 300 people. Other TVs already in the office and cafeteria will be on as well.

Marriott usually celebrates Inaugural Day, says Hampton via e-mail, but "we believe this is a historic American milestone. We want our employees who are at the trust to experience it," while still doing their jobs. "It helps keep morale high and our employees engaged."