Speak Out: Does March Madness Hurt Worker Productivity?

It's college hoops lovers favorite time of the year – the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is about to begin.

But just as March Madness fans are set to see their favorite teams square off, business owners are bracing for the tourney's impact on employee productivity.

Last year, workplace consultant Challenger, Gray & Christmas said that workers checking in on the tournament while at work could cost American businesses $200 million in lost productivity.

That figure was a little higher last year over 2011 – when the tournament was estimated to cost businesses $192 million in lost productivity.

Companies are also impacted by lost bandwidth, as workers stream the games on the sly on their company computers.

But the conventional wisdom – that March Madness hurts productivity and the bottom line – could be wrong.

ABC News reports that bosses are changing their minds about March Madness and its impact on their employees

In a recent survey cited by ABC News, only 9 percent of employers thought the tournament had a negative impact on their workforce.

That's down from 2010, when 22 percent of employers surveyed said they thought March Madness negatively impacted their businesses.

This year, most bosses said they didn't think the tournament impacted productivity either way. And 16 percent of respondents said the impact of March Madness on their staff was a positive one.

Some offices embrace the tournament with office brackets and pools, trips to watch games after work or even watching the games in the office.

What do you think? Does March Madness have an impact on business up or down or are the figures overblown? Does your workplace get excited about the tournament? Which team is going all the way this year?

Tell us in the comments!