An employer must keep their workforce healthy, especially when flu season rolls around. The flu doesn’t just affect the individuals who catch it; it can hurt productivity and potentially cause absenteeism. Here are eight ways to protect your employees during flu season.
1. Instituting Hygiene Standards
During flu season, a staunch emphasis on hygiene is paramount. Ensure your workplace is a bastion of cleanliness by promoting frequent handwashing and providing hand sanitizers and tissues in public spaces. These basics can exponentially reduce the transmission of the flu virus.
2. Employee Education Is Key
Don’t shy away from launching an educational campaign. Inform your team about common flu symptoms and how it spreads. Use the workplace as a platform to share local flu clinic information to ease access to vaccines without directly promoting them.
3. Support Sick Leave
Encouraging sick leave might sound counterintuitive to an employer, but it’s an investment in a healthier work environment. Everyone is more productive when not under the weather, so encourage rest for any unwell employees and have flexible sick leave policies in place.
4. A Clean Workplace Is a Shared Responsibility
Regularly sanitized surfaces are a frontline defense. Hire a team to sanitize and clean your office during this season. Ensure you understand the difference between sanitizing, cleaning, and disinfecting because you’ll need to cover all three.
5. Attempt To Limit Large Gatherings
Limiting large gatherings and encouraging remote work or teleconferencing can reduce potential exposure. Ensure you ventilate your meeting rooms well and encourage participants to observe social distancing protocols if face-to-face meetings are necessary.
6. Equip Your Team With the Right Tools
You empower your staff to take charge of their health by providing necessary flu-fighting supplies, like tissues and hand sanitizer. Ensure people have tissues, sanitizing wipes, and hand sanitizer at their desks, readily available for use.
7. Promote Healthful Habits
Incorporating wellness programs into the office culture can encourage healthier lifestyle choices. Beyond flu prevention, these programs can have lasting impacts on overall health and reduce the impact of the flu.
8. Open and Ongoing Communication
Regular communication is vital. Keep your team updated on seasonal flu trends and related company policies. Sharing tips and reminders can keep flu precautions top of mind for your employees.
Protecting your employees during flu season isn’t just about caring for their health; it’s a strategic move to preserve productivity. These straightforward measures can significantly reduce absenteeism and maintain a vigorous, efficient workforce. You keep a happy, healthy team that can weather any flu storm by being proactive and prioritizing well-being.
