It’s March and we all know what that means. March Madness. In some parts of the country, it practically feels like a national holiday. Fans pour hours into making the perfect bracket, and while the odds of creating a perfect bracket are pretty slim, fans continue this tradition each year without hesitation. In the midst of the March Madness buzz, there’s a conversation happening about how this epidemic affects productivity in the workplace.
USA Today Money recently published an article stating, “March Madness could cost companies up to $1.9 Billion in lost productivity according to calculations by the outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas.”
March Madness is a sports epidemic that just simply cannot be controlled. In fact, many companies create pools for employees to partake in. What impact does this have on productivity? Are 70% of you employees streaming games, looking up stats, or talking about basketball news around the water cooler? If productivity is a concern then why not make the most of the situation? Companies should use this event as an opportunity to improve employee morale and bring their teams together for a little fun in the workplace.
In this the Golden State Warriors article we see that the team religiously eats together, and that is one of the underlying pillars to their success. With basketball’s pinnacle point in the season upon us, you can emulate this success at work—bring your teams together for the same type camaraderie. Throw up a big screen in the kitchen, order some lunch and let your employees have a quick break so they can feel satisfied and get back to their daily duties without derailing the days’ tasks.
If you can’t beat them, join them!