Best Practices in HR

Purchasing tissues and hand sanitizer for the office, encouraging employees to clean their work areas regularly, and promoting good hygiene are simple steps that employers can take to help keep their workforce healthy and productive during flu season, according to Staples, Inc.

Be Proactive

A recent survey by Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples (www.staples.com), demonstrates why it is important for employers to be proactive about minimizing the spread of germs at work. The survey found that 65 percent of workers report going to work sick and that 80 percent clean their workspace no more than once a week. "Employers are concerned about decreased productivity due to sick employees and are looking for ways to maintain healthy workspaces throughout their facilities," says Lisa Hamblet, vice president of Facilities for Staples Advantage. "With employees coming to work sick, it's difficult to prevent germs from invading the office altogether. There are easy preventive measures that can minimize the spread of germs within the facility and keep the business going."

Preventive Steps to Follow

Staples' Facility Solutions' line of business offers some simple steps for minimizing the spread of the flu:

• Provide hand and surface sanitizing products. Staples reports that sanitizers reduce germs and bacteria by 99.9 percent. The company also cites a study by GOJO Industries, the manufacturer of Purell®, which found a 21 percent reduction of absenteeism when hand sanitizer is kept on desks. "Preventing the spread of germs is the first step in creating a healthy, productive work environment. That's why it's important that a facility maintain an adequate supply of flu prevention items," Hamblet says. "Encourage employees to clean and disinfect their desktops and office equipment on a frequent basis."


• Buy tissues and launch a campaign to tout "respiratory etiquette." Encourage employees to sneeze or cough into their arm or a tissue. A whopping 68 percent of surveyed workers reported seeing co-workers who do not follow either practice. "Post reminder notes of proper hygiene in common areas, such as restrooms and break-rooms," says Hamblet. "[M]any government organizations, such as OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), encourage HR professionals to send written communication to provide employees with educational and informational material, as well as training material, on protective behavior and instructions on proper hygiene and cough etiquette."


• Encourage proper hand-washing. Employers can minimize the spread of germs by launching a hand-washing campaign and reminding employees to follow the CDC recommendation of washing hands for a minimum of 20 seconds, according to Staples. Installing touch-free soap and towel dispensers will also minimize the spread of germs. Employers also can help keep employees healthy by offering on-site flu shots. "While this is a growing trend among many companies- specifically, with healthcare facilities offering flu shots for their employees -it is not as widespread as many would have thought," says Hamblet. "In fact, according to a recent Staples survey, only 20 percent of respondents indicated that their employers offer flu shots free of charge for every employee; at the same time, nearly 30 percent of respondents indicated that their employer does not offer flu shots."