The sounds of a chesty cough, sniffles and sneezes are a solid indication that flu season is well and truly upon us. While the cold weather might be a pleasant change, the health hazards that come with it can certainly cause a bit of office anxiety. So what can you do to protect yourself and your colleagues from the cold or flu? Below are some tips on how to stop the spread of flu in the workplace.
We did the research and found the answers…
It’s no secret that the cold and flu is a viral condition that can spread quickly throughout your workplace, and easily deplete your team. Having numerous staff sick at the same time reduces the business’s level of productivity, and increases the workload for those who have managed to avoid getting sick. So here is a shortlist of actions you can take, and safeguards you should implement to minimise the risk and help stop the spread of flu in your office.
Sanitise Everything
And we mean everything. The spread of germs is the primary cause of sickness, so controlling this needs to be the priority. Starting with hands, touch-free auto sanitisers can be a game changer and research suggests that sprays that contain 90% or more alcohol in them will kill 99% of the harmful bacteria on your hands within 20 seconds. Consider strategically positioning hand sanitisers in communal hotspots like the lunchroom, board room, and office entry.
Please get in contact with Duticall and enquire about our FREE auto hand sanitisers in your office.
But don’t stop there, this is not enough to stop the spread of flu! Take the initiative to spray and wipe your desk, keyboard, mouse and phone as frequently as you deem necessary. Remind your cleaning team to be extra diligent with the use of a disinfectant spray on all touchpoints around the office.
Fresh Air and Sunlight
Opening the windows, leaving the door open, or introducing some air purifiers are a great way to help stop the spread of flu. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to both natural sunlight and fresh air are effective disinfectants that kill bacteria.
Tissues
Absolutely essential. Tissues should be used to catch every cough, sneeze or blow of the nose. The next time you see a colleague cough or sneeze into their hands, shower them in tissues. Hopefully, they’ll get the message.
If You’re Sick, Stay at Home
Our last piece of advice on how to stop the spread of flu is to encourage staff that are sick with the flu or a cold to do themselves and other staff a favour and stay at home! While employees may think it is heroic to come to work despite feeling like a zombie, others who do not want office flu might have a different opinion. Besides, technology and the power of the internet enables you to do pretty much everything from home anyway.
Duticall
Get in contact with a Duticall office cleaning expert now and find out how we can help prevent an outbreak before it’s too late!