Florida State University’s Wayne Hochwarter, Melvin T. Stith Sr. Professor of Business Administration, addressed the impact of March Madness on workplace productivity in a statement released on Mar. 16.
March Madness is known for drawing significant attention from employees, with many taking time off or following games during work hours. This period is often associated with a temporary dip in productivity, which some estimates suggest could cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars.
Hochwarter said that managers should recognize this drop as both predictable and brief. “Managers should recognize that March Madness’ productivity drop is predictable and brief,” Hochwarter said. “Rather than trying to prevent it entirely, managers should adapt. Many workers check scores, stream games or manage brackets during work hours.”
He questioned whether the reported loss in productivity is as severe as some claim, noting that employees have become skilled at multitasking. “People have grown very adept at multitasking at work, and it is common to see employees simultaneously completing work tasks while attending to whatever is on their cell phones,” he said.
When asked about strategies for balancing work responsibilities with tournament distractions, Hochwarter recommended focusing on results rather than monitoring every action: “Managers should prioritize results over monitoring every action. Today, employees are evaluated based on what they achieve, not how busy they appear.” He also suggested clear deadlines and designated times for watching games can help minimize disruptions.
On office morale, Hochwarter encouraged leaders to view March Madness as an opportunity rather than a disruption: “First, leaders need to see this as an opportunity to build morale rather than a disruption. This is a good thing for employees to look forward to — it is predictable, you don’t have to be an expert to take part and it can help people distance themselves from increasingly demanding and unpredictable work.” He added that promoting positive diversions like tournament pools can foster better social interactions compared to more divisive topics such as politics.
Media interested in discussing these dynamics further are invited to contact Professor Hochwarter directly.
