Want to boost morale? Talk sports

Fans gather outside what is now Scotiabank Arena in Toronto during a recent playoff game featuring the Toronto Raptors.

Playoff season is approaching for pro hockey and basketball, baseball season is here and college basketball’s biggest tournament is heading to it’s pinnacle moment.

Many people are drawn to sports at this time of year as favourite teams chase the ultimate goal. Naturally, that makes for plenty of chatter behind the counter, in bays, at water coolers or anytime a spare moment arises.

Managers should encourage sports talk, according to global staffing firm Robert Half. A survey found that 68 per cent of managers said sporting event like March Madness and the Stanley Cup playoffs have a positive impact on morale. More than half also said they see productivity benefits.

Many employers seem to be on board with allowing their staff to show off their fandom. Two-thirds of them organize sports-related festivities with friendly competitions (37 per cent) and wearing team apparel (34 per cent) at top of the list of activities offered.

“Rather than downplay excitement around major sporting events, many organizations welcome the distraction as an opportunity to build team engagement and camaraderie,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for OfficeTeam, a division of Robert Half. “As long as employees respect company guidelines and work priorities, fun activities like jersey days or cubicle decorating contests can help lift morale without hindering productivity.”