Reading the article in the USA Today, “NCAA tournament:
Ranking Thursday's 16 first-round matchups” (Timanus and Gleason), it
reminded me of how there are certain events in our country that seem to bring
people together regardless of backgrounds. As they write in the article, “With
all due respect to the participants in the First Four round, the opening
Thursday of the NCAA tournament is widely viewed as the real beginning of the
Big Dance. It’s the day that marks the start of the weekend when March Madness
is at its most, well, mad. It’s the day when your carefully thought-out bracket
predictions either take shape or get relegated to the recycling bin of
history.” It is one of the most talked about events throughout the
year. And the odds are almost even money that someone with no basketball
knowledge can do as well at picking teams as the most studied hoops
junkie. So what should companies do? Embrace it! This is an
opportunity to bring your team together – your biggest diversity issues will be
Kentucky or Louisville, Dukie or UNC, or ACC vs Big 10. Wow, wouldn’t we
all love for THAT to be our diversity challenge?
I think companies that try to squash the fun end up losing
in many ways. If you have good leaders, good goals, a good culture and
great employees – guess what…they will watch, celebrate and GET THEIR WORK
DONE. We are always searching for ways to get our teams to come together,
we are always looking for ways to build relationships, we are always looking
for ways to improve communication within the team, we are always searching for
something to drive that competitive spirit, we want a better culture.
“March Madness” provides a terrific opportunity to make progress in all those
areas. It allows for employees to bond over common interests, which helps
build friendships.
Staffers at the marketing company Phelps will be able to
keep an eye on the games at their desks or on conference room TVs. CEO Joe
Phelps says his 86 employees are “hard workers, often staying late or
completing projects on weekends”, so he's fine if they work a little less hard
during days when games are on during office hours. "If you hire the
right people in the beginning who are motivated and productive, then we're past
the time of measuring and having everyone with their nose to the grindstone all
the time," said Phelps, whose company is based in Playa Vista, California.
Also, what I have learned in my quarter century in Human
Resources…well… people are going to do what they want to do. First day of
hunting season in Wisconsin, Day after Thanksgiving, St.Patrick’s Day, MLB
Opening Day, Cyber Monday…..the list goes on. What is common about these
days? People will find a way to do what they want. The smart
companies recognize this and use it to enhance their own company culture.
“If you can't beat them, join them.” You're not going to stop
people from watching, just as you're not going to stop people from clicking on
the Internet. Moreover, trying to clamp down on our employees is
likely to be a morale buster. As leaders, we should use the tournament or
events like the Super Bowl and World Cup soccer games to build camaraderie and
a positive atmosphere. Maybe even bring the popcorn and pretzels.
According to a report published by WalletHub, corporate losses based on
unproductive workers is estimated to be more than $1.9 billion. Those numbers
include long lunches that hoops fans take to watch games, time spent checking
brackets during the work day, and employees taking sick time to watch or go to
games. As Michael Sheffield reported in Memphis last year, “When
the University
of Memphis Tigers last played in the tournament a couple of years ago,
the city essentially shut down from tip-off until the end of the game. But, the
good news was most executives were probably sitting next to their employees
watching the games.” Take this estimated UNPRODUCTIVE time and use it to
build FUTURE productivity. Teams ebb and flow in productivity.
Teams bond as they rally together around certain events – acquisitions,
software implementation, new programs, and yes, even March Madness. Think
of March Madness as a strategic opportunity to build a better team.
During March Madness, we see a wide range of
diversity. We see it on the playing courts, on the coaching
sidelines, in the stands, at fan parties and in all the advertising. Ah,
the “Madness.” It’s a good example of how diverse cultures,
socioeconomic backgrounds, races, genders, lifestyles and differing viewpoints
come together to celebrate in sports. So, when we look at the
basketball games starting today running through early April, know that
diversity is still a piece of the Madness, and it’s still evolving. Help us
evolve. Have fun and enjoy the time.
Together. We. Win.
Dave Harmon
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr
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