Money Isn't Everything, Even in Office Betting Pools

Office Camaraderie Main Reason Workers Participate in Office Pools, According
to Latest Spherion Survey

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- With March Madness fever
sweeping across workplaces in just a few weeks, companies are left wondering
if this frenzy will spread across their cubicle culture and translate into
lost dollars. Though money may be the concern of company owners, is it also
workers' main motivation for participating in office pools? Not according to
the latest Spherion(R) Workplace Snapshot survey conducted by Harris
Interactive(R).
Of the 44 percent of U.S. workers who have participated in an office pool,
45 percent named office camaraderie as the primary reason for doing so.
Another 36 percent named "to win money" as the primary reason for
participating, 15 percent said for the "love of sports," and two percent
stated "pressure from coworkers." The survey also found that three-fourths of
U.S. workers who participate in office pools (75 percent) say the most they
have spent is less than $20. Seventeen percent have spent $20 to $49 dollars,
four percent have spent between $50 and $99, and four percent have spent $100
or more.
While the number of workers who have participated in an office pool
declined from 49 percent last year to 44 percent in 2008, more employees claim
to have watched or followed sports events on the computer during work hours
this year. More than one quarter (26 percent) of workers in 2008 say they have
done so, compared to 23 percent in 2007.
When it comes to gender, men are generally more likely to participate in
office pools, and have different motivations than their female counterparts.
Fifty-one percent of men have participated in an office pool, compared to only
36 percent of females. Furthermore, men are more likely to say they
participate "to win money" than females (38 percent vs. 33 percent), whereas
female workers are more likely to name "office camaraderie" as their primary
reason (53 percent vs. 39 percent). Male employees also spend more money on
office pools than females, with 23 percent saying the most they have spent is
between $20 and $49 compared to only eight percent of female workers.
Gender differences extend beyond office pools as well. Men are twice as
likely as women (11 percent vs. five percent) to have called in sick to watch
or attend a sports event, or as a result of watching or attending a sports
event, and more likely to have watched or followed sports events on the
computer while at work (33 percent vs. 19 percent).
"This year's survey results are good news for many employers," said John
Heins, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Spherion.
"It appears that while some companies fear a negative impact of office pools
on worker productivity, they may actually benefit from a positive effect on
office camaraderie and employee morale. That being said, employers that fear
time wasted should clearly communicate their Internet usage policy throughout
the year."
Link to full Report & Methodology:
http://spherion.mediaroom.com/pressroom/index.php?s=43&item=535

About Spherion
Spherion Corporation is a leading recruiting and staffing company that
provides integrated solutions to meet the evolving needs of companies and job
candidates. As an industry pioneer for more than 60 years, Spherion has
sourced, screened and placed millions of individuals in temporary, temp-to-
hire and full-time jobs.
With approximately 700 locations in the United States and Canada, Spherion
delivers innovative workforce solutions that improve business performance.
Spherion provides its services to more than 8,000 customers, from Fortune 500
companies to a wide range of small and mid-size organizations. Employing more
than 300,000 people annually through its network, Spherion is one of North
America's largest employers. Spherion operates under the following brands:
Spherion Staffing Services Group for administrative, clerical and light
industrial workers; Technisource for technology professionals and solutions;
The Mergis Group for accounting and finance and other professional positions;
Todays Staffing for specialty administrative personnel; and Spherion
Recruitment Process Outsourcing. To learn more, visit
http://www.spherion.com/.
SOURCE Spherion Corporation

Lesly Baer, +1-800-422-3819, leslybaer@spherion.com or Laurenn Wolpoff,
+1-212-239-8951, lwolpoff@cjpcom.com, both of Spherion Corporation