With the temperature beginning to drop outside, it is important for you to keep your workplace clean. Cold and flu season means that there is a chance your employees are going to get sick, which can harm your productivity and impact your company culture. Furthermore, you do not want to place your business partners and customers at risk. Finally, by following workplace flu best practices, you can reduce your chances of dealing with regulatory sanctions.
With this in mind, what are a few of the workplace cold best practices you need to follow to make sure your business environment is clean?
1. Think Carefully About the Products You Use
One of the first best practices you need to follow is that you need to think carefully about the cleaning products you use. If you are handling all of your cleaning on your own, you are probably very budget-conscious. You do not want to spend more money than you have to on cleaning your workplace. On the other hand, you must make sure that you use quality products. Take a look at the percentage of germs they kill, make sure they target common viruses, and ensure your cleaning products are safe for your employees. If you want access to the best cleaning products, you may want to consider outsourcing cleaning services.
2. Employee Education Is Key
You should also make sure that you educate your employees on the importance of washing their hands, using hand sanitizer, and staying home when sick. Sometimes, your workplace transmits a lot of bacteria and viruses because your employees simply do not know how to protect themselves and others. Consider posting some extra signs that remind employees of the importance of washing their hands. You may also want to have some extra training sessions when you onboard employees or put them through continuing education.
3. Consider Scheduling Extra Cleanings
Outsourcing facility cleaning services is a great way for you to make sure your business is spotless. You might have a janitorial service come by once a month, but you may want to consider upgrading your facility cleaning plans with some extra cleanings. For example, you may want to have your commercial cleaning services come twice per month. Because cold and flu season could mean lots of contagious viruses in the workplace, you need to minimize the chances of dealing with an infectious transmission. If you do not typically use professional day porter services, you may want to consider hiring them. Working with professional hygiene services could reduce your chances of someone getting sick.
4. Reduce the Number of Surfaces Your Employees Touch
You should also take steps to reduce the number of surfaces your employees touch. The reality is that the more surfaces your employees touch, the greater the chance of them getting sick. Some of the surfaces that are frequently touched include computer mice, keyboards, doorknobs, and remote controls. If you can find a way to reduce the number of surfaces that your employees come into contact with, you can reduce the chances of someone getting sick.
5. Consider Upgrading Your Workplace
There are lots of steps you can take to make sure your workplace is clean. For example, you may want to install upgrades that allow your employees to open doors without having to physically touch one of the doorknobs. Now, there are upgrades you can install that will allow your employees to open the door with their feet.
You may also want to install some additional hand sanitizer stations around the workplace. Ideally, you should install something that does not require water, as it will be easier for you to get set up.
If you are willing to make upgrades to the plumbing system, you may want to add some additional sinks and paper towel dispensers. They can go a long way toward helping your employees stay safe during the cold and flu season.
6. Encourage Your Employees To Take Preventative Measures
You may want to provide some incentives to push your employees to invest in preventive measures. For example, you should encourage employees to get the flu shot. You should also encourage your employees to stay up-to-date on routine vaccinations. This can go a long way toward making your workplace healthier because there will be a lower chance of your employees passing infections among each other. You may even want to enter your employees into a lottery for a free drawing if they are willing to take some simple preventive steps.
7. Ask Your Employees To Stay Home When Sick
There are a lot of employees who hesitate to stay home when sick because they are worried that they might fall behind on their jobs. Unfortunately, if your employees come to work when they are sick, there is a much higher chance of them passing the infection to somebody else. Then, before you know it, you have an entire department missing work because there are infections passing from person to person. You should let your employees know that it is okay for them to stay home when they are sick. The top priority is for them to get better, and that means taking sick leave.
Contact Pegasus Today
Ultimately, these are just a few of the most important workplace cleaning tips you need to follow during the cold and flu season. Even though it is easier for people to get sick during this time of year, there are steps you can take to reduce the rate of infectious transmission. At Pegasus, it would be our pleasure to help you with all of your cleaning needs. Contact us today.
