Every year flu season can be a nightmare for environments where there are numerous people occupying a single space. To minimize illness and the spread of illness in your office, it is imperative to provide employees with proper education and the tools necessary to minimize disease transmission.

Encourage Flu Shots

Depending on the health insurance provided by your company, you might decide to hold a vaccine clinic. When employees can receive flu vaccines that are completely covered by their insurance and it is done on-site, they are more likely to have much-needed preventative treatment. Before the vaccine clinic is held, make a point to circulate fliers regarding the importance of vaccination for the entire workplace. Unfortunately, many non-vaccinated employees occupying a single space is a recipe for disaster and can result in lost productivity. It is also important to stress that you will not allow employees to come to work sick. When employees know you are serious about keeping them out of the office if they are ill, they are more likely to take the precautions necessary to avoid illness.

Improve The Air Quality

Make sure maintenance workers are changing the air filters in the office at least monthly. You should also inquire about the air filtration used for the office. Ideally, the air filters in an office environment should be capable of catching smaller particles, such as viruses, to minimize their spread throughout the office. If this is not possible, you may want to consider portable air filtration units that can be used during flu season. Adding several portable units that offer HEPA-grade filtration may be enough to keep problems to a minimum, especially when combined with other preventative measures. Work with the service, such as Metro Maintainers Building Services, to encourage proper air care in the building.

Give Employees Cleaning Tasks

Keeping the risk of the seasonal flu low can be accomplished if everyone participates. Encourage your employees to keep their work environment clean by providing antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer throughout the office. At the beginning of the workday, employees should wipe-down their chair, desk, keyboard, and other equipment they frequent use. Have hand sanitizer readily available outside the bathrooms. Remind them to wash their hands after using the bathroom and as an extra layer of security, use hand sanitizer before returning to their desk or other work areas.

Invest In Frequent Deep Cleanings

A typical office environment may not need thorough cleaning each day, but as it approaches flu season, it is worth the investment to hire professional cleaners more often. Two to three times per week, you may want the bathrooms and food areas completely sanitized to minimize the transmission of viruses in the office. In addition to having the high-traffic areas deep cleaned, you should also request frequent cleaning of carpets, rugs, seating areas, and desks.

Yearly flu vaccines are the easiest and most effective way of preventing the flu from wiping out an entire office. In addition to vaccinations, keeping a cleaner office environment can reduce the chances of spreading viruses.