Autumn is here, and you know what that means: back to school, pumpkin everything, and football!

A few years ago we decided to establish our own Fantasy Football league (called The Lab Rats, appropriately enough). Today nearly everyone in the company is part of it, and the competition is fierce.

Aside from just being a lot of fun, playing Fantasy Football with your team serves other, larger purposes as well. It can bring your work team together in ways you hadn’t thought of and can be a great diversion at the end of a stressful work week. Here are some reasons why you may want to consider starting a work Fantasy Football league of your own.

Camaraderie

Nothing brings people together quite like team sports. Whether your team is winning, losing, or somewhere in the middle of the pack, everyone involved in fantasy football can bond over lot of things. The good weeks. The bad weeks. The “how did that even happen?” weeks. We’ve all been there and commiserating with your coworkers about the ups and downs can be fun AND cathartic!

Even the competition and “trash talking” can help people come together. Sometimes it’s the best part of being in a league!

Keeping in Touch

Maybe there are people on your team you hardly ever get to collaborate with, especially if you work as part of a remote team like InventoryLab. Being part of a league gives everyone a great excuse for touching base with those team members they don’t ordinarily communicate with. If team meetings aren’t usually a part of your workweek, this gives everyone a chance to catch up with each other.

Getting to Know Your Team

We don’t always get to know our coworkers on a personal level. This can be especially true for a remote team. Being part of a fantasy league allows people to let their guard down a little and have more personal, non-work-related interactions.

You might discover through fantasy football that you root for the same NFL teams. You might even (for better or worse) get to see a side of someone’s personality that you weren’t familiar with!

If you don’t already have a work fantasy football league for this year, unfortunately you’re out of luck. The NFL season is already two weeks in, and most fantasy providers don’t allow late leagues. But if baseball is more up your alley, you can organize your own fantasy team in the spring. And remember, there’s always next year! 

Whatever sport you and your coworkers choose, fantasy leagues can be a great way to bring a team together in unexpected ways!