Challenger advised employers to not totally ban employees from discussing “Game of Thrones” and other cultural phenomena at work; these gatherings can be opportunities for a cultural boost, whereby workers bond, share opinions and ideas, and engage in friendly sparring over their favorite character, player or team.
Employers should anticipate losing at least some measure of productivity when employees get caught up in the excitement and fervor of national and international events. The costs of employee down time are staggering, however; the 2018 Winter Olympics cost employers $1.7 billion in lost productivity, and just the first round of the 2017 March Madness tournament amounted to a $4 billion loss.
