{"id":96446,"date":"2023-03-21T19:43:54","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T17:43:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/?p=96446"},"modified":"2024-11-22T16:03:47","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T14:03:47","slug":"march-madness-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/blog\/march-madness-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"March Madness at work: Tools to Build a Team of Champions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March Madness, a well-known yearly <\/span><b>basketball tournament<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the United States, is currently taking place. All around the country, millions of people are tuning in to watch the <\/span><b>NCAA Tournament<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Not only that, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.roberthalf.com\/blog\/management-tips\/mad-about-the-college-basketball-tournament?utm_campaign=Press_Release&amp;utm_medium=Link&amp;utm_source=Press_Release\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the average employee will spend six hours watching March Madness at work<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Many are also taking part in March Madness work-themed activities at some point during the month-long event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what impact is this having on companies? How should you manage March Madness at work? And what benefits can the tournament offer your organization?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today\u2019s post, we are going to discuss the <\/span><b>parallels between basketball and business<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including <\/span><b>teambuilding, leadership, and talent management<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We will also share some of the issues that HR and managers might face during the tournament, especially those related to <\/span><b>absenteeism, scheduling, and potential loss of productivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Finally, we will explain how <\/span><b>Factorial\u2019s tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you tackle these issues and <\/span><b>build a team of champions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/request-demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-86553\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/18151749\/free-demo-300x103.jpg\" alt=\"free demo\" width=\"754\" height=\"259\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/18151749\/free-demo-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/18151749\/free-demo.jpg 675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><div class=\"js-toc toc\">\n<p class=\"js-toc-title toc__title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<nav id=\"fac_toc_nav\" class=\"js-toc-nav toc__nav\" aria-label=\"Table of Contents\"><ol class=\"toc__list toc__list--level-1\"><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/blog\/march-madness-at-work\/#what-does-march-madness-have-to-do-with-business\" title=\"What does March Madness have to do with business?\u00a0\" data-target-id=\"what-does-march-madness-have-to-do-with-business\">What does March Madness have to do with business?\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/blog\/march-madness-at-work\/#potential-march-madness-issues-in-the-workplace\" title=\"Potential March Madness issues in the workplace\u00a0\" data-target-id=\"potential-march-madness-issues-in-the-workplace\">Potential March Madness issues in the workplace\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/blog\/march-madness-at-work\/#tools-to-champion-your-team\" title=\"Tools to champion your team\u00a0\" data-target-id=\"tools-to-champion-your-team\">Tools to champion your team\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div><\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>What does March Madness have to do with business?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>NCAA Division I men&#8217;s basketball tournament<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, commonly referred to as <\/span><b>March Madness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States. During the tournament, 68 college basketball teams from around the country compete in seven rounds for the national championship. The tournament generates a great deal of excitement and an estimated <\/span><b>70 million Americans<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">complete<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> brackets in an attempt to predict the winning team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what does all this sporting madness have to do with business?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For one thing, whether you like it or not, your employees are likely to spend at least a portion of their days <\/span><b>monitoring the games and checking their brackets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can either get frustrated by the constant fight to remove basketball-related distractions from the working environment, or you can <\/span><b>embrace March Madness at work and use it to your advantage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, there are <\/span><b>many parallels between basketball and business that can help you build a stronger and more cohesive team<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Many of the strategies used by successful basketball teams can also help you with <\/span><b>teambuilding and leadership initiatives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in your organization. And many of the tactics used by spectators when they complete their brackets can also be applied to your <\/span><b>talent acquisition strategies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s explore these parallels.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Teambuilding and March Madness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of discouraging March Madness at work, use it as an <\/span><b>opportunity to improve employee morale and encourage <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/team-building\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>teambuilding<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Creating a fun and interactive activity to celebrate the event in your organization can help <\/span><b>bring your team together and develop deeper relationships between colleagues<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you could create your own <\/span><b>bracket challenge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and invite employees to predict who they think will win the tournament. Make sure you check gambling laws in your area first though as sports betting isn\u2019t permitted in all states. You also need to be mindful of the <\/span><b>Interstate Wire Act of 1961<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which regulates the transmission of bets and wagers across state lines. Alternatively, you can keep things simple and offer <\/span><b>non-monetary rewards such as gift cards, an extra day of PTO, or new office equipment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You could also <\/span><b>relax your dress code<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during March Madness and allow your employees to wear their <\/span><b>team jerseys<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to support their teams. Or you could even encourage your teams to <\/span><b>decorate their departments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in honor of their favorite teams and award prizes to the best-decorated office spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, another great idea for March Madness at work teambuilding is hosting a <\/span><b>virtual happy hour to celebrate tournament wins<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This can be a great way to get your remote workers involved and help them bond with their colleagues.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Leadership and March Madness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March Madness at work strategies can help you <\/span><b>develop your workplace culture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in a positive way, especially in terms of <\/span><b>leadership<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, <\/span><b>leadership goes hand in hand with trust<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The more employees trust their leaders, the more they buy into the decisions they make. But <\/span><b>leaders also need to trust their teams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Otherwise, whether in business or on the basketball court, this can lead to <\/span><b>ball hogging<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In other words, not passing the ball to open teammates so that they can score. Or in the case of business leadership, <\/span><b>not trusting your employees, micromanaging, and failing to maximize the skills and potential of every member of the department<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basketball teams can&#8217;t succeed with ball hoggers, and neither can businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use March Madness at work as an opportunity to <\/span><b>review the leadership styles used by your managers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Look out for any <\/span><b>bottlenecks that might stifle autonomy and creativity in your teams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Talent management and March Madness<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, another effective application of March Madness at work relates to your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/talent-attraction-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">talent acquisition strategy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In many ways, <\/span><b>completing a tournament bracket is a lot like your recruitment and selection process<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You have to balance your options and research team records and histories. You then have to create a shortlist based on opinions, reviews, and recommendations. Plus, you have to consider <\/span><b>potential <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when you make your final decision, as well as <\/span><b>teamwork<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; past performance isn\u2019t the only indicator of future success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recruitment works in exactly the same way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you included all these considerations in your recruitment funnel? Does your talent acquisition process evaluate teamwork and take into account a candidate&#8217;s potential for development? Are you offering an optimal candidate experience?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, celebrating March Madness can give employees the chance to <\/span><b>rest and recharge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with fun activities. This in turn can boost <\/span><b>employee morale, satisfaction, engagement and productivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And the happier and more motivated your workforce is, the lower your turnover rate will be. In other words, <\/span><b>March Madness can help you enhance your employee experience so that you can boost your retention levels as well as your talent acquisition strategies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Potential March Madness issues in the workplace<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the biggest issues you might face during March Madness at work relate to <\/span><b>absenteeism, last-minute scheduling changes, and issues with productivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you might find that <\/span><b>employees are easily distracted by the tournament and constantly check their brackets to see if they have won<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In fact, some studies suggest that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2016\/03\/14\/billions-of-dollars-lost-due-to-march-madness.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March Madness could cost employers nearly $4 billion in lost revenue<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Other sources, however, believe that <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/darrenheitner\/2013\/03\/17\/march-madness-employee-productivity-problem-is-overstated-yet-influences-corporate-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the drop in office productivity around March Madness may be overstated<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Either way, most employers find that <\/span><b>absence rates increase<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sharply during March Madness, leading to <\/span><b>scheduling and staffing issues<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the benefits you can gain by embracing March Madness at work far outweigh the risks. After all, building a <\/span><b>culture of autonomy and trust<\/b> <b>is vital in the modern workplace<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so <\/span><b>implementing a zero-tolerance approach to March Madness is only going to damage your business in the long term<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It all comes down to balance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key is <\/span><b>being clear about your expectations and defining clear guidelines for requesting and tracking time off<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Employees should feel they have a right to celebrate March Madness. But they also need to respect your expectations in terms of performance and productivity. Provided you <\/span><b>implement the right controls <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>use the right tools<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to manage <\/span><b>absenteeism, last-minute scheduling changes, and productivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> then there is no reason why your team cannot celebrate the tournament whilst maintaining performance levels at all times.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Tools to champion your team<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we just highlighted, <\/span><b>the best way to address the issues associated with celebrating March Madness at work is by using the right tools and technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Factorial\u2019s HRIS<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> includes a number of features that can help you with this, especially in terms of <\/span><b>time tracking, scheduling, and talent acquisition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That way, you can encourage your workforce to celebrate the event whilst using the strategies discussed today to <\/span><b>build a team of champions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a look at these features in a bit more detail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Provide time off<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factorial&#8217;s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/holidays-leaves-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">time off management software<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can help you manage and track absences during March Madness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you can <\/span><b>create your time-off policy directly on the platform<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that your staff has access to it at all times. That way, your employees know exactly what they need to do when they want to request vacation leave. You can also include <\/span><b>specific guidelines relating to time off during March Madness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Employees can then <\/span><b>request time off through the employee portal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and these requests get sent directly to the right managers for approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also <\/span><b>create blocked periods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> so that employees cannot request days off during busy times, reducing the time you need to spend rejecting requests that you cannot accommodate. Plus, by <\/span><b>centralizing your time-off process through Factorial&#8217;s platform<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can <\/span><b>keep updated on team availability at all times<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/holidays-leaves-software\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-96504\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161243\/Time_Track_Clock_In-300x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"527\" height=\"392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161243\/Time_Track_Clock_In-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161243\/Time_Track_Clock_In.png 553w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 527px) 100vw, 527px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few other benefits of using Factorial\u2019s time-off management software during March Madness:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automate vacation requests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See vacation days accrued, used, and remaining.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use the calendar to review upcoming employee absences with ease.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">View all upcoming sick leave, vacation days, and other types of leave at a glance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Track vacations to make sure each team is adequately staffed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set permissions to determine which supervisors will need to approve absence requests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generate custom reports.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All this makes it much easier to <\/span><b>handle your March Madness at work time off requests efficiently<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Provide flexible scheduling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factorial&#8217;s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/shift-management-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shift management software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you <\/span><b>better manage your employee schedules during March Madness at work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That way, you can be sure that your teams aren\u2019t left <\/span><b>understaffed due to uncoordinated absences<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you can use our <\/span><b>free downloadable employee shift schedule template<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to organize your staff\u2019s daily shifts. Employees can then use it as a reference and comment on any upcoming schedule conflicts. Plus, you can customize the template for defined periods, so you can <\/span><b>create a specific schedule to cover the tourn<\/b><b>ament period<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/shift-management-software\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-96502\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161226\/Time_Shift_Mid-300x176.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"661\" height=\"388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161226\/Time_Shift_Mid-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161226\/Time_Shift_Mid-1024x599.png 1024w, https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161226\/Time_Shift_Mid.png 1075w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 661px) 100vw, 661px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a lot of other benefits of using our shift management software:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assign shifts to employees based on current and upcoming availability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gain better planning visibility with a complete overview of who is working and when.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automatically detect scheduling gaps and conflicts so that you can address them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Update your team as and when schedules and availability change.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Receive notifications of newly published or modified staff shifts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customize the way you view your employee shift schedules to optimize planning.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">View hourly absences on the shift schedule to gain insight into employee availability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integrate the solution with your time off software.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Run reports to help you spot trends and better understand your scheduling needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Scout out the right talent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, Factorial&#8217;s<\/span><b> talent acquisition software and <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/applicant-tracking-system\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>applicant tracking system<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you <\/span><b>optimize your recruitment funnel and candidate experience<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This helps you enhance your end-to-end hiring process and create a <\/span><b>larger quality <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/talent-pool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>talent pool<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, with Factorial\u2019s ATS you can <\/span><b>create personalized job offers, application forms, and pipeline workflows<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can also design your own <\/span><b>customized hiring page<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to showcase your company, team, and available positions. This will help you attract more candidates and improve your overall recruiting process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/applicant-tracking-system\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-96500\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161159\/Frame-34748-1-300x199.png\" alt=\"talent pipeline\" width=\"549\" height=\"364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161159\/Frame-34748-1-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161159\/Frame-34748-1-768x510.png 768w, https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/22161159\/Frame-34748-1.png 836w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 549px) 100vw, 549px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best of all, you can use all the data you collect to <\/span><b>effortlessly integrate new employees into your onboarding software once you\u2019ve hired them<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That way, your <\/span><b>entire candidate lifecycle is centralized<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and you can focus on attracting and retaining top talent. In other words, you can redirect your efforts to <\/span><b>building your own team of champions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Happy March Madness at work month, everyone!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>March Madness, a well-known yearly basketball tournament in the United States, is currently taking place. All around the country, millions of people are tuning in to watch the NCAA Tournament. Not only that, but the average employee will spend six hours watching March Madness at work. Many are also taking part in March Madness work-themed<a href=\"https:\/\/preproduction.factorialhr.com\/blog\/march-madness-at-work\/\" class=\"read-more\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":96450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[349],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-96446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hr-tech"],"acf":{"topics":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.5 (Yoast SEO v21.9.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>March Madness at work: Tools to Build a Team of Champions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"March madness at work: parallels between basketball and business and how you can use March Madness to enhance leadership and teambuilding\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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