(RNN) - It’s March, and that means one thing for college basketball fans: It’s time to fail at predicting the outcome of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
But while you indulge in the opening rounds, remember you’re costing your employer a lot of money.
Even casual viewers get caught up in the "madness" - CNBC reported 70 million brackets were filled out last year.
WalletHub reported the tournament caused companies to lose an estimated $6.3 billion in productivity in 2017. Also, an estimated $10.4 billion was gambled in the 2017 tourney, $10.1 billion of it illegally.
The report shows 81 percent of HR professionals say their organization does not have have a policy addressing office pools. Even so, Brandi Britton, a district president with OfficeTeam, told CNN many companies are scheduling breaks so employees can enjoy the games for a bit.
“We are seeing activities where there's a contest for best jersey or even decorate your desk with your favorite home team,” Britton told CNN.
WalletHub said 90 percent of workers agree office pools help boost workplace morale, so don't feel too guilty for watching at work. Download those apps to stream games on your phone in a staff meeting. Open way too many tabs on your work computer to watch all the games at once. And give your loser coworkers the business when you call an upset they missed. They'll listen next time.
But don't put your job in jeopardy and think twice before you spend too much time tracking the tournament on the clock. Keep one of those browser tabs on business, for when the boss walks by your desk.
Unless you work for Warren Buffett. In that case, by all means, win that money.
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