All together now: It's the most wonderful...

At 1:30 Thursday afternoon, the happy clicking of office keyboards stopped.

Meetings were canceled, reports postponed, at least for a couple hours.

Talk about essential business: The only essential business that was taking place in many an office, workshop, manufacturing or service facility involved a scurrying employee and a bathroom.

The Zags game was on.

With apologies to Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the most wonderful time of the year is now. December is an ancient memory or a distant promise. March Madness infects the masses now.

Guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping and the sweat glands dampening paper brackets, the NCAA Tournament has long been a sports fan’s finest dream — or worst nightmare. One bad game and no matter how great a season you’ve had, you’re done.

So while hundreds of college hoopsters are bringing it through the tournament, millions of American workers are slacking off, and most of us — er, them — are getting paid for the unregistered time off.

Living where we do, a hefty Chet Holmgren three-pointer from the Gonzaga University campus, sympathy should be extended to every North Idahoan for this fever that strikes at least twice each week during the tourney, as long as the Zags prevail. For many fans, the fever rages in direct proportion to their access to a TV or computer screen — sometimes from morning ‘til late at night.

We understand. Businesses have their backs to the wall, trying to keep their customers happy with a workforce that is already depleted to dangerous levels, like a team with three starters in foul trouble.

But managers should look at this not as the attention span being half empty. The NCAA Tournament, starring the No. 1-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs, should instead be a rallying point and celebration for the employees who haven’t quit for higher wages elsewhere or the lure of video games in Mom’s basement. We think Mom would agree wholeheartedly.

So through April 4, bosses, please, be kind to your hoop-hearted employees. Stock the break room with snacks. Encourage friendly banter and bandwagon jumping. Show some remorse when last-second shots fall short and dreams are broken.

And while you’re at it …

Go ZAGS!*

*And pray for a GU-Arizona national championship game.