As millions of Americans keep one eye on the NCAA tournament games and the other on their brackets, employers will be keeping both eyes on their bottom lines, which will be taking a hit.
A new study conducted by WalletHub predicts that March Madness will cost American businesses nearly $14 billion because of low worker productivity. Yes that's BILLION with a b. The average worker spends about six hours each year watching the games when they're supposed to be working.
The least productive members of the basketball-loving workforce are millennials. 56% of them say they're OK with missing a work deadline in order to watch a game.
But it's not a total loss for employers. 78% say watching March Madness and holding office pools boosts morale in the office and builds better camaraderie.