Up Next: Water Coolers Costing Businesses Billions!

from the heard-this-before dept

Thu, Aug 17th 2006 12:01pm — Mike Masnick

We're always skeptical of any report that claims something is "costing" businesses millions of dollars. They're usually biased studies that are trying to prove a pre-set notion, rather than reveal anything new. It's especially popular with companies trying to prove that people doing any kind of non-work activity in the office is "costing" productivity. Usually those studies are bogus, ignoring the fact that letting your employees take an occasional break tends to make them more loyal and more productive -- while also recognizing that workers who do personal things at work usually more than make it up at other times. While it used to be surfing porn that was always the concern, these days, it's apparently sports that are the problem. A few months ago it was the NCAA basketball tournament that was a huge productivity risk, and now it's that fantasy football is going to "cost" businesses $1.1 billion per week. Yes, $1.1 billion per week. Of course, this number is basically pulled out of thin air. At least the company that put out the study also notes that companies shouldn't worry about this, since it helps with morale, loyalty and bonding. However, if that's the case, why bother with the made up sensationalistic claim of billions in losses?

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21 Comments

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Q, 17 Aug 2006 @ 12:49pm

Tech Dirt wastes millions of dollars for the company I work for. It's awesome.
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Mousky, 17 Aug 2006 @ 12:51pm

However, if that's the case, why bother with the made up sensationalistic claim of billions in losses?
Because 'money' talks. It's no different from the claims made by the RIAA and MPAA that piracy 'costs' them money. Oddly enough, I have yet to see a line item in a financial statement that notes the 'cost' of piracy as an expense.
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Adam B., 17 Aug 2006 @ 12:51pm

Such a geek
I'm such a geek. My first thought was: "How can water cooling cost companies mailliions?"

My second thought was: "How many businesses actually use water cooled servers?"
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college guy, 17 Aug 2006 @ 12:56pm

I'll need some help...
I personally plan on costing my company $700 million per week because of fantasy football - I need someone else to man up and cost their company about $400 million per week. That way we can meet the figure put out by this "study".

Lets see, $700 million per week, for foot ball season (10 weeks to make it easy) - nets me about $7 billion dollars in 2.5 months..... nuts, not enough to finish paying my school loans off.....
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Jake, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:05pm

Touching a few subjects afore mentioned
Why wouldn't they promote the fantasy football if it brings loyalty and comradere to the workplace, I know if I work with a dickhead, and football is the only thing that we share as a common, I am going to need a lot of it.
On a seperate note, about the piracy as a cost, if the MPAA and RIAA are complaining about the cost of "piracy" and they have no numbers to represent it, isn't that called tax fraud? I mean if I was missing numbers they would take me to jail, so why not the MPAA and RIAA?
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:08pm

Re: Suck a geek
"My second thought was: "How many businesses actually use water cooled servers?"

rofl... that was my first thought :P
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David, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:13pm

Effect of productivity risks
How do "productivity risks" translate to the business world? System admins can crack down on people surfing known time-wasting sites on the web, but were companies preventing their employees from enjoying the World Cup in June?

What do businesses do with proclaimations that "such and such an activity" is going to cost them "so many dollars", exactly? Is it just an impact on corporate policy, or is there more?
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Footballnonfan, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:13pm

Why?
First off, I'm surprised the MPAA/RIAA hasn't started to sue people for what they talk about at the water coolers. I'm kidding...

As for Football goes, I've never liked it. Oh, I'm sure that makes me "queer" somehow in the eyes of millions of U.S. males. Oh darn. The point is, I've always seen it, and most sports, as simply a form of mass distraction. There are TONS of much more important matters that people could concern themselves with, idolize and just plain become infatuated on. Local or world issues for example. You sure don't see as many people protesting war as you did in the 60s-70s. Could it be that we're now too lazy to do anything but talk about crap? Or talk crap?

Well, if that's the case, then we need crap to talk about, Football and other sports fits that hole nicely. None of it really means anything, none of it changes nations and it's all dissposable. Making it the perfect, forgettable convorsation piece for most 'drones'.

The only problem now is, that our nation is SO infatuated with sports such as football, that there is no getting rid of it. It's obvious people are actually addicted to it (and sports), but you don't hear the same things you'd hear about internet or video game addiction. It's not looked down upon, even though you'd be hard pressed to find a star athlete that you'd be willing let raise your kids morally.

Well, there you have it, didn't mean to be too much of a rant on sports, but the water cooler is hardly the place to burn your company's time on talking about such trivial crap. Don't be shocked when your lady boss sees it the same way I do and cans you for wasting said time.
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Troublemaker, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:14pm

Wasting company Money
When I was 16, the print shop I worked for decided that TALKING was costing the company too much money, and told us that we could not talk about non-work subjects except when we were on break or lunch. So we all whistled the theme from the Andy Griffith Show almost constantly, every day until they decided that we could talk to each other again. (It took 2 days.) I found out if you whistle long enough it hurts, but no way was I going to be the one to stop.
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Slacker, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:15pm

Oh the irony...
The links from this article to articles on Websurfing at work costing companies money were "Blocked by Websense"
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Rabid Wolverine, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:34pm

I wonder how much going to the bathroom cost companies a year, $5 billion, $10 billion, $50 billion?

I bet it cost far more than any 'casual conversation' around the water cooler.

Also, while were at it, why doesn't someone do a study to determine whether or not women cost more going to the bathroom than men?

In an insane world someone is going to figure out a way to waste corporate money trying to come up with a cost for almost anything.

I wonder how much it cost to figure out how much it cost to hang around the water cooler shooting the S#i+.

Really, this is ridiculous...
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Rabid Wolverine, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:34pm

I wonder how much going to the bathroom cost companies a year, $5 billion, $10 billion, $50 billion?

I bet it cost far more than any 'casual conversation' around the water cooler.

Also, while were at it, why doesn't someone do a study to determine whether or not women cost more going to the bathroom than men?

In an insane world someone is going to figure out a way to waste corporate money trying to come up with a cost for almost anything.

I wonder how much it cost to figure out how much it cost to hang around the water cooler shooting the S#i+.

Really, this is ridiculous...
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:34pm

Re: Why?
Of course you don't see as many people protesting war now... most have come to the only logical conclusion: protests do not prevent war. Do you seriously think our government listens to the people? Their rationalization is that the people elected them therefore anything they do is in the people's interest.

I'd also hate to burst your bubble, in the grand scheme of things all water cooler conversation is as equally irrelevant as football talk. The only way I'll take that back is if during a water break at work someone discovers the cure for aids through conversation.

You could also be further from the mark deeming that this implies people are lazy. Have you ever talked to someone about a non-shared interest? Their eyes glaze over and you'll notice a lack of cognizance... most people could care less about the low latency ram you (I) just bought and what kind of clock speeds you (I) were (was) able to obtain while keeping it stable nor do they care about your (my) views on which interpretations of quantum mechanics are more logical than others and which provides the greatest philosophical stance. A shared interest is needed at these times, and since most of the people you'll end up working with WON'T be interested in the same hobbyistic or intellectual pursuits as yourself, things like football are required to connect with the people you work with.

I do share your distaste for football and sports in general, but you need to be realistic about the fact that you've already passed up your chance for "changing nations" by working where you work. And if you are working at a place that is "changing nations" chances are you'll want to talk about non-work related stuff when you have a break.
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dorpus, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:37pm

Sports
Many workplaces do waste inordinate amounts of time talking about sports. The peer pressure to stay up to date on every detail of the local team does waste time, asides from excluding more productive workers who don't care.
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exitstageleft, 17 Aug 2006 @ 1:44pm

Re: Such a geek
hehe...yeah me too.
I went from water cooled servers to expensive water coolers (like what the gov. might pay for one) to the analogy of the article.
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Conman, 17 Aug 2006 @ 2:01pm

BILLIONS
WOW!
I am going to put a CONSULTING business plan together and take it to my bank for an SBA loan.
I am sure this study will get may many clients interested in doing away with their water coolers in light of the new FACTS that have been disclosed today.
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Practical, 17 Aug 2006 @ 4:25pm

I had an awesome stat teacher who repeatedly reminded us that "statistics don't lie. Statisticians do."
Sounds like he's right once again.
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AMP, 17 Aug 2006 @ 4:49pm

Re: Why?
Lighten up Francis
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2006 @ 4:55pm

The deeper cost
XX Billion for this and that every year, so these companies try to crack down on it.

Then the real talent hears through the grape vine that working for these places isn't exactly a walk in the park, and the talent goes elsewhere.

So now companies that crack down now have a quiet, dedicated, bladder-and-browser controlled workforce that works with the same level of quality and enthusiasm as asian zombies in chinese factories.

Good job.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Aug 2006 @ 5:45am

Re:
It is funny you say that. I was just thinking the same thing. ; -)
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football is HERE, 18 Aug 2006 @ 8:44am

for those of us that get enough of the world events force fed to us on the evening news - newspapers - FLASH news reports - conversations - CNN email alerts - football (and sports) is the escape and is equally important as your all-important conversations on world peace. not at all to take down the importance of a good political conversation - but to dismiss sports as just a distraction would be similar to saying that the movie industry is dying. It is ignorant - not queer!

personally, i avoid the water cooler and like to remain inconspicuous.
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