Stop the Flu Before It Stops Your Employees

"If You're Sick, Stay Home!" That might be the most prudent motto you can float around your organization. Yet, if you think absenteeism is expensive, wait until you see the damage "presenteeism" can do if contagious employees insist on working.

The cold and flu season now extends practically year round and can result in a serious financial drain on your company's bottom line. A University of Michigan study found that the common cold alone socks the U.S. economy for $40 billion a year. This includes the costs of treating sick people, as well as lost income and productivity when employees take time off to care for themselves, their children or parents.

But your company doesn't have to fall victim to an epidemic. The first step toward minimizing the effects of colds and flu on your business is to recognize how contagious the influenza virus is and the main reasons colds and flu are spread.

• ‍Stress weakens the immune system and makes employees more vulnerable.‍
• Coughing and sneezing are the most common form of contagion since the virus is spread by airborne droplets.‍
• Failing to wash hands frequently can result in the spread of germs. It may take a day or even a week before flu symptoms appear, during which time a person can infect numerous others by sneezing or coughing on their hands and not washing them often.‍
• Shared surfaces and objects can also become contaminated. The virus can survive up to 48 hours on such nonporous surfaces as telephones, keyboards, doorknobs, kitchen countertops and coffeepot handles. This poses the risk of an epidemic sweeping through your workplace.‍
• Heroics and fear can come into play. Some employees simply won't give in to sickness and insist on dragging themselves to work, while others are afraid of discipline if they take too many sick days (See below).

Knowing these causes, you can take the steps needed to contain the spread of illness in the workplace:

• ‍Encourage immunization (when possible). Vaccines are particularly important for those in high risk groups. Recent years have seen shortages of seasonal flu shots. For those who can't get a flu shot or choose not to, there is a nasal spray option that is slightly more expensive but can be nearly as effective.
  
  • Some insurers and health care companies cover immunization, but if your company has a self-insured plan, you might consider covering the costs. Weigh the expense against the potential loss in profits and productivity if the flu attacks your organization.
  • The CDC states that the best time to get immunized is October or November. But vaccines as late as December or January can also be effective since most incidences of the flu occur in or after January. Remind employees to think ahead, since the antibodies in the flu vaccine take about two weeks to develop. and educate your staff about dealing with job-related and personal pressures. This can be helpful in cases where stress levels are high because of absenteeism.
    
• Reduce stress and educate your staff about dealing with job-related and personal pressures. This can be helpful in cases where stress levels are high because of absenteeism.
• ‍Send sick employees home and tell them to stay there if they're ill.
• ‍Clean shared surfaces with 70 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Fill small plastic spray bottles with the liquid and place them in each work area. Encourage employees to clean shared objects such as keyboards and telephones regularly. Have conference rooms cleaned between meetings.
• ‍Promote hygiene by reminding employees that clean hands are an important weapon against contagion. It takes only one contact with a dirty hand to spread disease throughout a workplace. Some companies place containers of antibacterial hand gel in strategic places, but this isn't necessary. Good old fashioned hand washing with regular soap and hot water works just as well.