Menlo Park, Calif. — March 6
Are there gains from celebrating March Madness at work?
OfficeTeam recently asked more than 1,000 managers whether NCAA basketball tournament festivities in the office, such as watching game highlights or engaging in friendly competitions, affect morale and productivity.
One in five (20 percent) of those surveyed felt activities tied to the college basketball playoffs improve employee morale at least somewhat, compared to only 4 percent of respondents who viewed them negatively.
The majority (75 percent) said March Madness events have no impact on morale or productivity, according to the survey.
The survey, developed by staffing service OfficeTeam and conducted by an independent research firm, is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,000 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees.
Managers were asked, “Do you feel March Madness (NCAA basketball tournament) activities in the workplace, such as watching games or participating in pools that don’t involve money, have a positive or negative impact on employee morale?”
Executives who were asked the same question in a 2010 survey were more divided, with 41 percent viewing college basketball playoff celebrations as a morale booster, and 22 percent saying these activities adversely affect employee output.
Source: OfficeTeam
