A COMPANY boasted that it would give its staff a day off after the Euro 2020 final – before workers were emailed and told they wouldn't be getting it.

LookFantastic, which sells beauty, skincare, and haircare products, promised to give its employees a day off after England's game if their social media post reached a certain number of likes.

The company, owned by The Hut Group, said that the "fate of Team Fantastic is in your hands" as the amount of "likes" would determine what time work begins on Monday morning.

And if the post gained 7,000 likes, the firm said that the employees would be given a whole day off after the Euro 2020 final.

The Instagram post read: "IT'S COMING HOME. In honour of that, we've decided to give you the power on what time our teams start work on Monday…

"You need to act quick though – we'll take the count at 5pm!"

But in an internal email seen by The Sun Online, employees were told that the "stunt" was just a "great engagement opportunity."

Workers were told that the social media target and the promise of a day off after England's final was "not official comms."

Despite the post on Instagram reaching over 30,000 likes – surpassing the top target – workers were told that they were "lucky to have been given the 12pm start."

The company was not able to specify who sent out the email – but insisted that employees would still be able to take Monday off. 

Reacting to the posts, one former employee said: "It’s just embarrassing really, it’s also just poor form to put something out there like that. 

"Your staff are being treated one way, but then internally you’re sending an email to say the complete opposite.

"I think everyone is disgusted really. That's what they think is okay to put out there, then they’re going to go back on internally, just for promotion of the brand.

"It’s a continuous vicious circle, and it’s things like this that echo that."

And multiple people took to social media, claiming that the post was a "publicity stunt."

One person wrote on Twitter: "Imagine having a culture so poor that you tweet this and then email your internal staff not to get their hopes up because it’s just a publicity stunt."

And another user said: "You’re not even giving your staff the day off and have said it’s just a gimmick!"

A third wrote on Instagram: "This is fake, hard working employees have just got an email saying that this isn't 'official.'

FOUL PLAY

"How unfair and two-faced. All for a few likes!"

Another person wrote in the comments: "Terrible to post this and then email them to say it's not happening."

It's believed that following external pressure, staff were called into an emergency meeting where previous guidance was overruled and they were told they would in fact be getting Monday off.

The LookFantastic account then confirmed that "we're giving all teams Monday off."

The firm told The Sun Online that the initial email, telling employees that the social media post wasn't "official," was not sent by senior management.

A spokesperson from The Hut Group said: "We are incredibly proud of what this England team has achieved and, in so doing, they have already made history.

"We will be cheering them all the way in the final and we are delighted that all of THG’s employees will be able to enjoy watching the game in full knowledge that they can either enjoy the day off on Monday or take a day off in lieu, recognising our national team’s success.”

Sunday night's historic final will see England battle Italy for the Euro title – with many workers expected to be worse for wear the next morning if the Three Lions bring home a victory.

Southgate's lads bagged a place in the final after smashing Denmark 2-1 on Wednesday night.

It is the first final England has reached in 55 years.

The nail-biting final will be played at Wembley – with thousands of fans expected to flood the capital's streets ahead of the title-race game.

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