Cold and flu season is always a tense time for employers. For a few months you just have to accept that the probability of having everyone at work and healthy everyday isn’t very high. Particularly if you work in a business where you come in constant contact with the public, it can feel as though your immune system is under attack on a daily basis. It often feels as though the question isn’t if you will get sick, but when you will catch something. According to the CDC this season’s flu vaccine offers reduced protection so it’s important for all employees to take extra precautions. Here are a few tips to help you keep your staff healthy this season.
Clean, clean, clean. The germiest places in the office probably aren’t the ones you would expect. The restrooms likely get cleaned daily, if not twice a day. The elevator buttons? Not so much. What about the break room? How often do the counters, tables, and other surfaces get wiped down? Now think about the buttons on the snack machine or the lever on the toaster. When was the last time they were disinfected? Any high touch zone can be a hot bed for germs. Consider all the surfaces that get touched by multiple people on a regular basis and give them a good wipe down. You could significantly reduce the chances of spreading illness in just a matter of minutes.
Provide hand sanitizer and encourage its use. Just setting bottles of anti-bac out isn’t enough. Educate employees on the importance of frequently washing their hands or applying anti-bacterial hand sanitizer to stop the spread of germs.
Provide hand lotion. Often the biggest deterrent to proper hand washing practices is the painful chapped skin produced by the combination of cold weather and frequent hand washing. Employees may be tempted to skip the sink just to avoid this condition. If you offer hand lotion and make it easy for employees to apply it frequently this may counteract this problem.
Encourage sick employees to stay home. Many times employees come to work sick because they think it shows dedication and will ingratiate them to management. In reality, a sick employee can bring down your entire staff and what manager wants that? Make sure your employee’s know that their health and well-being are important to you. Explain that they are actually doing what’s best for everyone by taking a day and staying home when they aren’t feeling well. Better to muddle through without even the most critical employee for a day, as to watch a bug work its way through your entire staff over the course of the next week or so.
Use employee scheduling software. Arranging coverage when employees are out can be a logistical nightmare, but scheduling software can help. In a previous post we offered some suggestions for solutions to help you manage employee scheduling. Several of these solutions can be accessed remotely making it easier for employees to let you know that they are going to be out, and easier for you to find someone to cover for them.
Cross train and have a backup plan in place. If you have taken our advice in the past regarding employee retention you have allowed employees to cross train. Not only can this keep your employees happier over time, it can provide a backup in the event someone is out.
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