Relax, and embrace the workplace benefits of fantasy sports

March Madness is upon us, baseball’s just around the corner, LeBron James is gearing up for another playoff run, hockey teams are jockeying for a Stanley Cup bid, soccer season’s afoot, and The Masters’ groundskeepers are finishing up their anti-gopher initiatives.

Meanwhile, workplaces across America are reflexively springing into a defensive crouch, blocking websites and putting the kibosh on fantasy sports forums in the name of “productivity.” This is understandable, but it’s short-sighted.

Quantum Workplace found that employees who participated in fantasy sports with colleagues were 12 percent more engaged at work than those who did not. Quantum’s study also found higher levels of trust and teamwork among those involved in internal fantasy games. Furthermore, as Monster notes: “Company leagues can boost morale, productivity and employee retention.”