March Madness! 3 Ways to Use Sports to Make Your Team Stronger Than Ever This Spring

Winter can be tough on even the cheeriest among us. Dark days, chilly temperatures, and residual stress from that crazy holiday season mean your team might be in need of a boost.

What’s more, many organizations start their financial year in January, when new budgets often begin leading to new hires — candidates who may only just now be joining your team. Bring them into the fold, and energize your group with some good old fashioned sports fever!

Here’s how to do it — even if you’re not so sporty yourself.

Fantasy Leagues

The fun thing about fantasy leagues is that you don’t necessarily need to be a sports enthusiast to play or enjoy oneself. Folks with an eye for metrics can do quite well in fantasy leagues — and there’s an element of good old fashioned luck.

Chances are, some of your team is already participating in fantasy leagues, so why not make the game work-friendly? Visual cues, like tracking games on a giant board in the breakroom, add a fun touch to the workplace.

A small reward for winners is fine, but make sure it’s not too much like gambling. Incentives that serve the group as a whole work best — for example, perhaps treat the office to the winner’s choice of lunch, let them pick an outing for the group, or, if your team is largely remote, let them pick a treat to send out for everyone to enjoy, like a gourmet coffee or chocolate.

Play Together

Physical activity offers all kinds of brain-boosting benefits and can help inspire creative thinking.

Consider creating a team to enter in an adult sports league, organize a league within the company, or just schedule a few informal pickup games to help encourage some fitness and fun outside the office.

Swag helps sweeten the deal, whether it’s shirts, baseball hats, or sweatbands. Just stick to a simple, non-violent sport — softball and basketball are a go, hockey or boxing not so much.

Organize a Viewing Party

Make a day of the next tournament. Encourage employees to show their team spirit and wear their team colors to work, reserve seats at a live game or even at a local restaurant. Viewing can be surprisingly fun, even for those who aren’t big fans on their own. It can also encourage conversations between employees on strategy, teamwork, and more.

One final all-star tip? Manage your dream team using HR software that makes it simple to keep everyone on the same page. FingerCheck offers seamlessly integrated tools for employee time tracking, payroll, onboarding, and more supported by top-notch customer service. Learn more here!