It doesn’t take much to use March Madness as a way to engage staffers, generate excitement and even improve productivity. Here are some other ways area companies are going through hoops for employees.
At Alliance Data Systems Corp.’s headquarters in Plano, staff members were treated to an NCAA tournament kickoff lunch with door prizes.
It was hosted by the Fun Bunch, a group of employees who set up events throughout the year to get people to mix and mingle beyond their job functions.
“Everyone fills out the brackets and roots for their teams,” says Mike Quigley, a financial reporting manager who’s spearheading the festivities. “We give prizes to the top finishers. It’s just a great time.”
Smith Thompson Home Security in Plano goes casual in dress and attitude throughout the tournament, with snacks available and TVs on.
“We still believe that a comfortable, fun atmosphere will reward us with happy, productive associates,” president Mark Thompson says. “It actually works.”
General Datatech LP keeps the games on in its onsite movie theater so employees can pop in and take in some action. It does the same thing for other big sporting events, including the Masters and Texas Rangers opening day.
“Our people work super hard for our customers, so we want to reward them with a cool, fun place to work,” says John Ansbach, general counsel. “It’s really not much more complicated than that.”
Evantage Inc. has an in-house sales contest paired with March Madness. If March sales rise 25 percent over February, Chris Auwarter, president, treats the staff to appetizers and Whirlyball.
“We have a board in our office that tracks our progress,” Auwarter says. “And yes, we have the games on for people to check scores throughout the day.”
Cheryl Hall
