Cold and flu season is here. When the temperature begins to drop, the number of people showing up at the office or plant with runny noses, hacking coughs and the chills begins to climb. All those germs circulating puts the well ones who have to work side-by-side or in adjoining cubicles with the sickies at risk. Employees are reluctant to call in sick too often or for long periods of time for fear of losing their jobs or missing out on valuable overtime pay. Sick leave or vacation hours can be scarce at the end of the year, so time off is often without pay. The following eight tips can help encourage employees to stay well on the job.
1. Plan a “lunch and learn” brown bag meeting on how to beat the cold and flu season in partnership with your health benefit provider or local hospital. Many providers will come out to your facility and put on a program at no cost.
2. Many benefit providers send out monthly newsletters with all kinds of tips and ideas on health and wellness. Post them on your company’s Intranet, department bulletin boards, print them out for distribution and use them for staff meetings.
3. Encourage healthy eating by including more fruits, vegetables, hot soups and chili on the cafeteria menu.
4. Vegetables and dips like hummus and salsa are healthy alternatives to the sugary, fat laden holiday snacks that are everywhere at this time of year.
5. Stock lots of water, energy drinks and fruit juices in the vending machines as alternatives to sugary sodas.
6. At the end of the year, many employees have leave accrued that they cannot use before it expires. If your leave doesn’t roll over to the next calendar year, it may be possible for employees to donate their unused leave into a pool to be used for employees who have to be out sick and don’t have any leave of their own. This would make it easier for employees who should stay home to do so without losing pay. You would need a policy for usage and a review by HR.
7. When you are sick, the early morning hours can be the toughest. If possible, adjust schedules to give those who are under the weather a little extra sleep.
8. Go remote. Depending on the nature of your business, employees can often be just as productive working from home. Keeping their germs away from everyone else and getting the job done is a win-win for everyone.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.
1. Plan a “lunch and learn” brown bag meeting on how to beat the cold and flu season in partnership with your health benefit provider or local hospital. Many providers will come out to your facility and put on a program at no cost.
2. Many benefit providers send out monthly newsletters with all kinds of tips and ideas on health and wellness. Post them on your company’s Intranet, department bulletin boards, print them out for distribution and use them for staff meetings.
3. Encourage healthy eating by including more fruits, vegetables, hot soups and chili on the cafeteria menu.
4. Vegetables and dips like hummus and salsa are healthy alternatives to the sugary, fat laden holiday snacks that are everywhere at this time of year.
5. Stock lots of water, energy drinks and fruit juices in the vending machines as alternatives to sugary sodas.
6. At the end of the year, many employees have leave accrued that they cannot use before it expires. If your leave doesn’t roll over to the next calendar year, it may be possible for employees to donate their unused leave into a pool to be used for employees who have to be out sick and don’t have any leave of their own. This would make it easier for employees who should stay home to do so without losing pay. You would need a policy for usage and a review by HR.
7. When you are sick, the early morning hours can be the toughest. If possible, adjust schedules to give those who are under the weather a little extra sleep.
8. Go remote. Depending on the nature of your business, employees can often be just as productive working from home. Keeping their germs away from everyone else and getting the job done is a win-win for everyone.
Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.
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