We’re Not Out of the Woods Yet!
Business
If you live anywhere near me in deep South Georgia, it feels like summer. We’re just waiting for the pools to open but still battling one of the worst flu seasons in 15 years.
Recent stats show the flu epidemic might be on a downturn, but the CDC warns that the flu season can last as late as May. My family is just getting over our second round of flu. We got flu-A in late January and then flu-B in February. How lucky are we?
None of us are out of the woods yet, so let’s keep our guards up and finish out this flu season as strong as possible. Having anyone in your office succumb to the flu is dangerous and miserable for the infected person and their family. It also plays havoc with workplace productivity. If you don’t have kids in school, the workplace is where you are most likely to be exposed to the flu.
Here are the top 5 tips to keep your office as healthy as possible as we finish off this flu season.
1 – Have Everyone Get the Flu Shot. It does work. Some years better than others, but even if you get the shot and still get the flu, the shot can reduce the severity of your symptoms. Yes, you should have gotten your flu shot in October, but getting one now can still help you avoid the final leg of the flu season. Remember, flu seasons have gone as long as May in the past. Just get the shot.
Advice for next year. Host on-site vaccinations and education to get as many people as possible in your office vaccinated. There are a lot of myths about flu shots that can be clearly dispelled with evidence and education. Educate your people and make it easy for them to get vaccinated.
Make sure your health plans cover flu shots and offer to pay back employees who are not covered. Create a full-scale campaign for vaccinations next year. Studies show you can reduce time lost to sick days by up to 45%.
Go to the CDC’s website to download their Business Tool Kit. It is full of great resources to educate and inform your employees on how to stay healthy.
The flu is not only miserable, it is expensive too. The CDC estimates the flu costs over $10 billion in direct medical expenses and over $16 billion in lost earnings every year. Check out their infographic here.
2 – Keep the Flu Out. Encourage employees to work from home or take sick days as needed. Work flexibility is a huge perk for your employees and comes in real handy during flu season. Make sure you give employees ways to get their must do work completed from home.
Offer to deliver files and laptops to their homes if they must work. Encourage employees to stay at home at least 24 hours after they are fever free without medications.
The CDC says infected people can spread the virus beginning 1 day before symptoms appear and up to 7 days after becoming sick. Experts believe most cases of the flu are spread person to person. People with the flu can spread it to others up to 6 feet away through droplets shared when the infected person sneezes, coughs or talks.
Give everyone some extra space during the flu season and wash your hands as often as you can.
3 – Keep it Clean. Put hand sanitizing stations throughout the office. Make sure you never run out of soap and disposable towels.
Wipe down common areas with wipes that kill flu bugs. The CDC says that catching the flu via surface contact is less likely than catching it person to person, but still suggests cleaning surfaces regularly.
And, as always, wash your hands – a lot! If you get the virus on your hands, you will likely touch your nose, mouth or eyes and become infected unless you the virus off.
4 – Keep Healthy – Pay special attention to your diet and rest during the flu season. The stronger your immune system the more likely you are to fight off the bug and recover faster. Avoid taking on too many commitments and getting stressed out.
5 – Stay Ahead – This is not a flu prevention technique unless you consider what stress does to your immune system. Expect the unexpected during the flu season. People will get sick. You might get sick. Plan on having all your major projects completed 48 hours ahead of the deadline so you are not stuck trying to stay up all night with the flu working to keep your promises. Your health and the quality of your work will suffer. Get done early, stay rested and deliver great work.
We are close to the finish line of this flu season. Wishing you a healthy and prosperous remainder of 2018!
Have a business growth topic or question you’d like me to cover? Send suggestions to cfowler [at] valuesdrivenresults.com or use our contact form by clicking here.
Curt Fowler is President of Fowler & Company and Director at Fowler, Holley, Rambo & Stalvey. He is dedicated to helping leaders create and achieve a compelling vision for their organization. He is a syndicated business writer, has an MBA in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School, is a CPA, and a pretty good guy as defined by his wife and four children.
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