Bracket pools for March Madness are growing in popularity given the easy management though online resources and can be a fun way to connect co-workers even if only for a few weeks.
However, there are some things to consider before officially allowing bracket pools or any similar event to be done through the company.
Open it up to everyone
Don't allow money to be exchanged
Be prepared for a dip in productivity
Protect your network security
Monitor the side chatter
Realize you will need to allow similar activities in the future
While bracket pools are fun, you may decide the downside is not worth it. In that case, tell the organizing employee the bracket must be handled using personal emails and be done when off-duty. And be consistent with future requests.
There are other ways to use March Madness as a teambuilding opportunity. Perhaps invite employees to wear jerseys of their favorite schools or watch part of the games during a company-sponsored lunch. Finding any way to tie in a popular event to create teambuilding can be a win-win.
The Workplace Advisors is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting and employee engagement services. For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.TheWorkplaceAdvisors.com/BSCAI
FLSA outlines a few factors in determining how much an employee needs to be paid for a partial day's work when, as in the case of a power outage for example, their inability to work is not due to their personal need for time off.
Exempt employees need to be paid for the full day if they work any part of it. Non-exempt employees need to be paid for all compensable time, as defined by the FLSA. Some states also have reporting pay or predictive scheduling laws.
The safest course of action is to pay all employees for the full day if they intended to work but could not due to circumstances beyond their control.
It is not necessarily a bad thing when an employee explores the job market. Usually, employees who meet with other companies will either find a better opportunity allowing you to find someone more engaged or they will realize they have a good thing and recommit to your company.
Under an employment-at-will relationship, employees are free to search for other employment opportunities. How you react will probably depend on how valuable the employee is to you and your company.
Please note that if there is an employment contract in place, things must be handled differently on both sides.
Employees need to know that any piece of mail (business or personal) that is delivered to the company will be processed according to company procedures which may mean that it is opened and read by someone other than the intended recipient.
You should have a policy prohibiting employees from using the workplace for their personal mail and clearly stating they have no right to privacy and that their mail will be opened. There should also be a disclaimer in case mail is lost in the office.
If an employee needs to have something delivered that is time-sensitive or needs to be signed for (such as loan paperwork), then require that they notify the mailroom and management first to make sure they are directed correctly.
Finally, ask employees to respect the privacy of others if they inadvertently see personal correspondence.
Affinity HR Group is BSCAI's endorsed HR partner, providing HR support, recruiting and employee engagement services. For a link to our menu of services for BSCAI members, go to www.AffinityHRGroup.com/BSCAI
Companies can restrict most cell phone or smartphone access and/or usage. This restriction can only be during work times so employees will usually need to be able to access and use their phones during breaks.
If employees do not need their phones for work purposes, you can establish a clear policy that they must be kept out of sight except when used during an approved break period. If there is an emergency situation, then allow them to have it on a limited basis with approval.
If employees use their phones for work, you can limit the usage to business purposes and prohibit distractions during work time. This can also apply to remote employees.
Whatever restrictions you want to impose, be sure to have a clear written policy and apply it consistently to all employees.