It’s almost NCAA Tournament time which means it’s time to hear about how much money your employer will lose this year as you surf the net looking for scores and secretly watch the games on the mini-television you have hidden under your desk.
This year’s final numbers indicate that $1.7 billion will be lost in productivity. But, hey, who cares as long as you get to see No. 14 seed knock off a No. 3 seed on a last second buzzer-beater.
The figure is based on the 37.3 million workers expected to participate in office pools during the NCAA men’s tournament, and the 1.5 million expected to watch games online from their desks. …
“Those who insist there will be no impact are kidding themselves,” Challenger said in a statement. “The key for companies is finding a way to maximize the positive aspects of March Madness so that they outweigh the negatives.”
For every 10 minutes workers spend on basketball, companies will lose about $109 million, Challenger said. That figure is based on the current average hourly wage for all American workers, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics pegs at $17.50.
Look, you can either lose $1.7 billion or we can all call in sick for a month. Your choice.
Links:
[SignOnSanDiego.com]: March Madness cost companies mad money