It's tempting to watch NCAA basketball at work, but be cool

— -- Salaries are being slashed. Pink slips are prevalent. Bosses and clients alike are demanding pumped-up productivity.

And yet, the NCAA men's basketball tournament is still expected to score more than 130 million viewers the next few weeks — millions of them watching games on TV, online or on a phone while on the job.

"A lot of people watch at the office," says Jason Kint, general manager at CBSSports.com, which produces NCAA March Madness On Demand video.

Some advice from workplace experts, given the economy: Keep that viewing under control.

Mark Berman, general manager of a Saturn dealer in Ventura, Calif., says he's normally not a fan of watching TV at work, but he'll tune into the game, and allow employees to watch as well, to a point.

"Anything in moderation is OK," he says. "Even in tough times, you have to have outlets."

Last March, 92% of the viewers that watched games at NCAASports.com did so through work computers, according to Nielsen Online.

It's tough to tell how "March Madness" affects workplace productivity. Employment consulting firm Challenger Gray & Christmas has made varying estimates since 2002. Last year, it said that NCAA-watching could cost employers as much as $1.7 billion in wasted time.

It didn't give a prediction this year, since it's "inappropriate" to poke fun at productivity given the tough economic climate, says CEO John Challenger. His advice for those who can't go without the sports fix: Don't sneak around. Employees should be "upfront and be responsible," and let a manager know if they want to start a friendly work pool or tune into the action during the day, he says.

For workers who aren't as forthcoming, technology advances have made the viewing easier than ever. Employees worried about the IT department monitoring their Web use can watch on iPhones (for $4.99) and on AT&T mobile devices free of charge.

Those bold enough to watch online can click a "boss button" when a manager comes near. That icon, used 2.5 million times last year, changes a computer screen to a serious-looking spreadsheet.