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You are concerned about illness in the workplace, especially with the shortage of flu vaccine this year. As an employer, what steps can you take to keep your employees healthy and productive?
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Answer: |
Millions of Americans will be at increased risk of catching the flu this season as a result of an unexpected shortfall in the availability of the flu vaccine and the rising threat posed by employees coming to work sick. Among the steps employers can take to help ensure a healthier workplace and minimize flu season disruptions:
- Foster a healthy environment. Speak with managers to ensure they're fostering an environment that makes ill employees comfortable to ask to leave the workplace or, better yet, not report to work in the first place.
- Set a good example. Managers should be urged not to show up at the workplace with the flu as employees may otherwise simply view the message to stay home as lip service.
- Set guidelines and make them visible to employees. Help employees understand under what conditions they should stay home, and when it's safe to return to work.
- Revisit your EAP and health care support services. Determine if there is a hotline or web site you can communicate to your employees where they can access frequently asked questions, get guidance on taking care of their health during flu season, and get more information about related health care issues.
- Review absence control policies to ensure they are not counterproductive. Programs such as disciplinary action need to be assessed to ensure they are not making ill employees feel required to report to work.
- Post helpful tips on how to avoid spreading germs. Include guidance offered on the CDC website. Use posters, or offer the information on your corporate intranet.
- Work with your employees and facilities group to keep common areas clean. Make sure that common areas of the facilities are cleaned regularly; this may even include cleaning conference rooms between meetings.
- Recognize helpful employees. Consider bonuses, rewards or some other type of recognition for employees who step in to help do extra work for ill colleagues.
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