How To Prevent Sickness In The Office

Each year, your company loses money to employee sickness. It seems inevitable, but many times, illness can be prevented with the proper steps. Keep your work environment clean so you don't bring home the bug.

Meet With Staff To Teach Good Health Decisions For Them And Their Families
Education goes a long way in health care reform. Make sure that each employee and manager understands the importance of hand washing and other good health habits. Teach about bacteria spread at home and how to prevent it.

Watch The Food
Providing breakfast and snacks at meetings, as well as birthday surprises, can help to boost morale. Any community food should be divided into individual portions that are wrapped when possible. This prevents those who are less hygienic from grabbing a handful of pretzels and transferring bacteria.

Make Assistance Programs Part Of The Benefits Package
Provide for counseling and programs for health management. This encourages those who are overweight to find a balance in life, which then transfers to the workplace. Free programs for those who smoke nudge people in the right direction.

Hand Washing Signs In Restrooms Are Mandatory
In many states, it is law to keep a sign up in the bathroom mandating the thorough washing of hands. This is because a constant reminder results in less food-bourn and air-bourn disease. Make this a practice in the office. Install signs and teach the benefits of sanitary habits. One should not sneeze into their hand or into the air. Sneezing into one's elbow or a tissue is best, so provide tissues at desks and trashcans that are easy to reach. Set out hand sanitizer for sanitation between bathroom breaks.

Let The Sick Stay At Home
Paid sick leave goes a long way to prevent the spread of illness. Allow employees to stay at home and make sure the policy is well known. Many come to work because they feel obligated, do not want to miss out on pay, or are trying to save up vacation days. Hold a health meeting to encourage staying at home when illness strikes. No one really wants to come to work when feeling terrible. Foster the desire to stay home.

Giving Shots
Provide employees and their families with free vaccines. The common cold and flu viruses spread like wildfire each year, killing and harming millions. Stop the spread of the most common illness with vaccines. You can partner with clinics that offer inexpensive vaccinations to bring them into the office on a special day or reimburse receipts. Either way, it's a quick step to better health.

Teach Good Health Habits
Food and exercise have a huge impact on health. Food can be a poison or a medicine, as it is administered orally, many times daily. A balanced, nutritious diet fortifies the body against illness. Vitamins and minerals do their part. Carbohydrates and sugars should be eaten sparingly, as they add to tooth decay. Aerobic exercise builds up the immune system. Teach good health habits in a seminar.

Tooth Heath
Your company dental plan takes less of a hit when employees treat their mouths right. So have HR make up posters about this. One should brush at least twice a day, floss, and use mouthwash. Fluoride supplements and water additives help to prevent cavities. Cavities can keep people at home and are often paid for by corporate, so encourage healthy smiles. This even helps with morale.

Make sure to educate and inform your prized employees about how to maintain health and prevent sickness. This will keep funds within the company and keep everyone a little happier. There is nothing better than going to work each day with a smile on your face.