From time to time I have the opportunity to feature a guest post on my blog. Mark Given – http://markgiven.com – great speaker and friend offered his ideas about March Madness…and he’s got a point! Thanks for sharing Mark!
Mark’s Un-Ethical Opinion – March 22, 2013 – The Un-Ethics of March Madness
March Madness, you can say that again. I love a good basketball game as much as the next fanatic, but is the loss of productivity really worth it?
According to one estimate, March Madness will cost employers more than $192 million in lost worker productivity. Online viewership during work hours is likely to reach at least 8.4 million hours. Multiply that figure by the average hourly earnings of $22.87 among private-sector workers and the financial impact exceeds $192,000,000!
You may not agree (like I really care), but why not just eliminate the unethical practice of stealing company time by making some employees happier.
Here’s an idea. With that amount of lost productivity, employers should just set up viewing stations and serve food to make it easier for the troops to watch.
The rest of the employees could get nap time, or board game time, or internet time just for fun. Maybe some could go home or to their kids class program (you know, the kid you’ve promised over and over that you’d be there, but rarely show). All on the clock. At least the employer would have a say as to how their company dollars were being wasted.
Agree or disagree, when you’re punching a clock and hiding to watch, you’re stealing!
Life is full of difficult choices. Things that are easy to do are also easy not to do. And in the wide world of March Madness, a digital recorder can save your day. If you were my employee, it might just save your job, slacker!