HR: March Madness - How Does It Affect Your Team?
It's that time of year again- March Madness- hoop heaven for college basketball fans and the one week of the year when people who don't usually pay attention to college ball are suddenly avid fans.
As employees check the web for latest updates, organize and monitor office betting pools and in some instances, watch games during company time--- many employers worry about how the "Big Dance" affects worker productivity. For most employers, March Madness doesn't significantly disrupt the workplace or have a major impact on productivity. For others- March Madness is a fact of life. Although no one knows for sure the impact March Madness has on productivity, according to estimates, the event costs US companies approximately $1.8 billion in lost wages in the first week of the tournament alone.
So what should businesses do if they experience a productivity slump in the month of March? Why not embrace the tournament and use it as a team building experience. Set up a designated spot in break rooms where employees can get updates/check scores or organize company wide pools and offer gift certificates to local restaurants or a donation to a favorite charity to the winner.
Whatever the true costs in lost worker productivity may be- I would argue that after two years of a recession and a challenging few months of winter weather- a little distraction and fun might be just what some workplaces need to boost morale and camaraderie.