The Downside of Sponsoring Company Sports Teams (Video)....

As the HR person in the house at my company, I (like you, I'm sure) get periodic requests for the company to sponsor employee sports teams.  Basketball, softball, you name it.  For the most part the companies I have served have never sponsored them.   As a result, we've probably missed out on some good team-building opportunities. 

Why don't companies sponsor employee sports teams?  You know the reasons, so sing along with me:

3.  Worker's Comp Concerns - Is an injury during the sport league a work injury?  Can we get sued by a wrongful injury lawyer with a two-page spread in the Yellow Pages?

2.  Consistency - There's only so many duckets (that's hip talk for dollars, people) to go around.  If we say yes to the softball team, can we say no to the Toastmasters team?  Isn't that discriminating against those with verbal, rather than physical dexterity?

And of course, the reason I never cite, but perhaps the biggest one:

1.  You Don't Want to Know Some Things About Your Co-Workers - As a person who has played in his share of sports leagues, there are always one or two people who are a little dicey on the team.  Maybe they are so uncoordinated people would snicker behind their back around the break room, or maybe they take it way too seriously and make everyone uncomfortable.  Or maybe they wear short shorts....

Or maybe they do all the above like my buddy Chip in the video below.  I like this level of intensity in my candidates, but I don't want to try and talk to Chip about the quarterly numbers after a hoops session like this. 

Comments

[Michael Wolfe]

That is one of the funniest sports clips I have ever seen! Great Clip!

Here's also a scenario to consider...At work you've been competing for years with your biggest rival in the company for the ultimate position - and you can't stand him. It's finally open and you didn't get it. To make it worse your rival did. Let's say...your not happy.

Now it's time for the weekly hoops game and you're playing his team. Thinking that it couldn't get any worse, not only does he get the job over you but he just "schooled" you on the court and made your head spin - now he has two places to publically mock you - at work and on the court...

[Sports Clothing]

I see this clip before but its not full, that's happened when you do all correct.