Recent statistics reveal that March Madness has become more popular than ever before, due in large part to the worldwide betting that takes place. Over 60 million people are expected to fill out brackets this year, with an estimated $10 million being put on the table. This can also result in a downturn in employee productivity.
“March Madness can be a drain on a company’s time and resources,” says Rob Wilson, employment trends expert and President of Employco USA. “With millions of Americans filling out brackets and managing their bets, you can bet that employee productivity takes a hit during this time of year.”
Research shows that lost wages caused by employee distraction and poor productivity during March Madness could amount to losses of up to $1.9 billion.
Employco USA offers the following tips to maintain productivity during March Madness:
1. Offer computers for personal use. “Make sure that you are keeping a close eye on your employees’ internet usage,” says Wilson. “Any time employees have free, unfettered access to the web, you are going to be looking at a decrease in employee productivity. Here’s an alternative: Offer your employees 1-2 computers for personal use during their breaks. Make sure the computers are in a public area and have a sign-in sheet to ensure that everyone will get a fair chance to use the computers and that people do not use them for extended periods of time. That way, if anyone needs to check their personal email or use the internet on their lunch break, they don’t need to use their official work computers.”
2. Put televisions in the break room. Wilson states that another option is to put a TV in the employee break room. “Again, rather than having employees use their computers or phones to check the score, provide a television in the break room or similar area. Allow employees to use the T.V. to tune into the games on their breaks, but again make sure that you have a sign-in sheet so that everyone can have a turn.”
3. Send out a company-wide reminder about in-office betting. “Depending on the state where you work, in-office betting could actually be illegal. Even if it is not illegal, I would advise that companies have a no-gambling policy, including office pools or any other communal stakes., stated Wilson. “Send out a company-wide reminder during this time to refresh employees’ minds and ensure that no March Madness takes place on company time.”
4. For those who do allow betting, take caution. For those organizations that do allow betting, Wilson advises only allowing junior employees (non-management) to participate. And rather than betting with money, consider prizes such as a gift card or even a bonus vacation day.
Hopefully these tips can help prevent one less HR headache.
Source: CCH HRAnswersNow; Employco USA