Flu season is upon us. As it does every year, it impacts office environments everywhere, affecting employee well-being and workplace productivity. As the virus easily spreads through close-knit workspaces, it can lead to increased absenteeism, lower productivity due to reduced staffing, and tensions in the workplace as the workload increases for those who haven’t fallen ill. Let’s explore some things we can do to keep an office healthy and productive during flu season.

Preventative measures

A vaccinated workforce is better equipped to resist the flu. Encouraging employees to vaccinate against the virus makes the office more resistant. You can provide information about how and where people can get vaccinated or even organise on-site vaccination clinics.

Good air circulation reduces the concentration of airborne viruses and creates a healthier indoor environment overall. MeetDistrict invests in modern, well-maintained HVAC systems, air purification, and constant air quality monitoring to ensure proper ventilation and optimal conditions for preventing the virus’ spread.

In addition to the ongoing cleaning and disinfection activities by the MeetDistrict team, with a particular focus on high-touch surfaces, you can stimulate the use of disinfectants active against viruses on specific areas in your workspace, like doorknobs, keyboards, phones, printers, etc. You may also want to avoid shared bowls of sweets.

Good hand hygiene goes a long way, and all around the various MeetDistrict locations there are plenty of possibilities to wash your hands. You can add additional hand sanitiser stations in your workspace and encourage employees and visitors to maintain proper hand hygiene by regularly washing and using hand sanitiser.

Employee education

Providing information and educational materials about flu symptoms and prevention strategies will help employees understand which symptoms to look for and how important it is to stay home when they feel unwell. Only then can they prevent spreading the illness.

You can prepare flu kits for employees with tissues, small bottles of hand sanitiser, face masks, and information on flu and how to prevent its spread. Open communication about flu prevention efforts, available resources and policy updates keeps everyone informed and creates a sense of shared responsibility.

Supportive policies

Remote working options allow employees to work from home when they feel under the weather or simply want to minimise the risk of catching the virus. Working from home helps prevent the spread of the flu and supports the overall wellbeing of the workforce without harming productivity.

In some cases, additional flexibility in sick leave policies can balance providing adequate support to its affected employees, adhering to labour laws, and maintaining a business’s operational capacity.

Conclusion:

As flu seasons come and go, we have to balance between maintaining a healthy workforce and guaranteeing operational continuity. Managing the complexities of flu season gives us the opportunity not only to safeguard the workforce but also to create a resilient workplace where employees feel supported and protected.