Winter is done, the weather is warming up, but influenza is still making the rounds—and when just one employee comes down with it, more are sure to follow. Still, the show must go on, so how can you prevent the spread of the virus within the workplace?
Beat the flu season with an effective, multi-pronged approach to keeping your employees healthy.
It’s In Your Hands
Since our hands interact the most with our environment, they’re a key transfer spot for the virus. We may touch an infected doorknob and later touch our eyes or nose.
The best way to prevent this is to remain persistent with hand washing. Soap and water is enough to do the trick, just make sure you wash often. You may want to take it a step further and install anti-bacterial hand sanitizer dispensers around the office or hand out small bottles for employees to use.
Post notices around the workplace reminding people to keep their hands clean, often.
Keep A Spotless Workplace
Keeping your workplace clean will help prevent the flu from spreading regardless of employee habits. This is where an Orange County janitorial service can make the difference.
Focus on doorknobs, phones, light switches, and other touch points. The virus can survive just fine by itself, lying in wait for someone to pick it up.
Special attention should be paid to the break room. Employees not only mingle there in close contact, but they eat and drink, bringing their hands right up to their face. There are a lot of touch points that may go overlooked too: the water cooler, coffee maker, refrigerator, vending machine, TV remote, chairs, and even countertops. Make sure your Orange County janitorial service hits them all.
Get Vaccinated
Many companies host medical professionals to administer the flu vaccine to employees around the beginning of flu season. It may cost more upfront, but it’s the best way to ensure that everyone’s shots are up-to-date.
Because the influenza virus mutates every year, the flu vaccine is the best way to stay ahead of the curve, even if it doesn’t completely eradicate it.
Keep Your Distance
It’s not paranoia to stay a good distance from someone sick with the flu. It is highly contagious through physical and airborne contact. This means every sneeze, cough, or handshake has the potential to infect you.
If you’re the sick one, don’t forget to cover your mouth or sneeze into something. A sneeze can jettison the virus from you at 100 miles an hour and send 100,000 germs flying into the air. You’re like a loaded weapon!
Stay Home When You Need To
In the end, the best option might be staying away from the office completely.
It doesn’t seem like the best option for the company’s bottom line, but one employee taking a day off may prevent multiple employees from getting sick.
This is especially true for the service industry where customer contact is frequent. It’s not only unethical to get your customers sick, but it doesn’t look good for your business.
Be responsible about flu prevention and don’t forget how easy it is to transfer the virus to your coworkers!
