One of the most common illnesses you can come into contact with in the workplace is the flu. In fact, each year, about 5% to 20% of the U.S. population will get the flu.This means you will likely have to miss some work if you end up with the illness. Losing a fifth of your workforce can be very bad for business. Each year, companies in the U.S. spend around $10.4 billion dollars on direct costs associated with the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control. When one person comes to work sick, others are likely to join them in feeling bad. In an effort to control the amount of money you lose on workers missing work due to illnesses, here are some tips to help. 

Clean Desks

The items on your desk at work are some of the most handled items in the workplace. From your stapler to your computer keyboard, they are filled with germs and they aren't always just yours. To help avoid the passing of germs, you want to make sure your desk remains clean. This is especially important if you tend to eat at your desk. Encouraging employees to use a sanitizer on their desks each day can help combat some of the germs. 

Hands-free Appliances

The bathrooms are known to be filled with germs. Even if you wash your hands after using the toilets, you still can find yourself adding more germs to your hands. In order to avoid this, bathrooms in the workplace should contain hands-free appliances so you don't have to touch everything. Toilets, sinks, and paper towel dispensers should all be automatic to help avoid the spread of germs. 

Sick Policy

Every workplace should have a sick policy that is clear. While you want your employees to be at work each and every day, you also want them to stay home if they are sick. Employees are likely to want to use their time off for vacations and not when they are sick. In order to motivate your employees to stay home when they are sick, you will need to set up a sick policy that details when they should stay home and when they should come to work. If it is possible, you can allow your employees to work from home while they are sick. 

Routine Cleaning

Keeping a clean office is one of the easiest ways to remove germs in the workplace. By hiring an outside cleaning company, such as Miracle Maids Inc., you can keep desks, floors, walls, and doors clean on a routine basis without taking too much of your time. 

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