March Madness, the Christmas season for basketball fans, is upon us again. And with it comes the usual distractions at work: Office pools, water cooler debates and furtive surfing of stats on the work computer. Like any other workplace distraction, management can make it a better or a worse experience.

OfficeTeam took a time out to query managers about how March Madness-related activities affected office morale and productivity. It found that half the senior managers interviewed said March Madness-themed activities at work boosted morale in their shops. Another 36% said March Madness actually contributed to higher productivity.

When they asked the same questions a year ago, the number for each were much lower: 32% and 27% respectively.

“Do you feel March Madness activities in the workplace, such as watching games or participating in pools that don't involve money, have a positive or negative impact on employee morale?”

• Very positive: 9%

• Somewhat positive: 41%

• No impact: 43%

• Somewhat or very negative: 6%

“Do you feel March Madness activities in the workplace have a positive or negative impact on employee productivity?”

• Very positive: 6%

• Somewhat positive: 30%

• No impact: 49%

• Somewhat negative: 13%

• Very negative: 2%

“Employers that encourage staff to enjoy events like March Madness recognize that these activities don't have to be viewed as negative workplace distractions,” OfficeTeam Executive Director Robert Hosking said. “Organizing friendly contests or watching big games together can give employees much-needed breaks and opportunities to build camaraderie.”