Plunging into the office pool

Employers beware: a month-long office party started yesterday. Live video feeds of the first March Madness games began on work computers across the country yesterday. The tournament, which is infamous for annual bracket challenges, is also known as one of the biggest ways companies lose productivity. It is estimated that March Madness could cost employers as much as $1.8 billion in unproductive wages during the first week of the tournament alone.

Despite the loss in productivity, March Madness is a time for watercooler trash-talking and lunchtime bonding over the underdog’s game-winning buzzer shot – things that boost camaraderie and morale among employees.