March Madness is underway, and those infamous brackets could be a way to increase worker productivity, a new study finds.
Randstad US, who conducted the survey, found 9 in 10 workers agree office pools help build better team camaraderie.
"While many employers fear a loss of productivity due to the distraction of office pools during the college basketball tournament season, our findings suggest the potential short-term distraction in the office may actually be a win for employee morale, engagement and satisfaction in the long-term," said Jim Link, chief human resource officer at Randstad North America in a statement. "Given the heightened competition for talent and the need for organizations to improve employee engagement and collaboration, our study indicates the significance of socially connecting with peers to foster deeper connections and boost employee morale."
The study’s findings showed many positive outcomes, especially when referring to those in generations Z and X.
About 84 percent of workers indicated office pools make their jobs more enjoyable, and 79 percent said that is “greatly” improved their social engagement. Likewise, 73 percent of employees said they look forward to going to work if there is an office pool.
However, the study found that 76 percent of employees spent time checking their scores during work hours, and 53 percent admitted that they watched events on their computers while at work.
Three quarters of survey takers admitted the main reason they participated in brackets or office pools was to make money, while 83 percent said they participated in March Madness simply for “the love of sports.”