Flu season.  You can tell it’s upon us by counting the number of coughs and sniffles echoing throughout the office.  You can also tell by counting the number of empty chairs—or too often, the number of chairs that should be empty, but are instead occupied by the sources of those coughs and sniffles.  No matter how well these sick people try to keep a low profile, it’s hard to ignore their contagiousness through every cough and sniffle and every touched doorknob and copier button.  The healthy people then cower in their own offices, afraid of catching an errant cough or sniffle from their sick coworkers.  So why are these sick employees coming in to work at all, and what can you do to keep your office healthy?

For starters, you can foster a work environment that values wellness, and that makes it easy for sick employees to take time off.  When calling out sick is frowned upon, employees will often report to work anyway for fear of retribution.  To encourage sick workers to stay home, teach leadership to promote a wellness friendly environment.  Leaders can send a “please stay home” email reminder during flu season, and can also reinforce the message through small daily details.  When an employee calls out sick, a response such as, “Feel better soon” or “Take whatever time you need” can go a long way toward an employee feeling good about the decision to stay home.  And leaders must also set a good example and stay home when they are sick.

Even when sick employees are encouraged to stay home, they may use the excuse that there is too much work to do.  That’s when it’s important to create an environment where one sick employee will not bring business operations to a screeching halt.  Solution #1: Cross-training.  Make sure at least one other staff member is trained as a back-up for the critical aspects of each job, such as designating a back-up to answer the phones when the receptionist is out of the office.  Solution #2: Telecommuting options.  A sick employee may still be symptomatic, but feel well enough to work.  Rather than risk spreading illness in the office, equip the employee with a laptop and remote network access.  Videoconferencing can also be a viable alternative to face-to-face meetings.  However your office conveys the message, it’s important for employees to know that business operations can continue during the time they need to recuperate.

The reality is, flu season will knock out a portion of your workforce every October to May.  In addition to encouraging sick employees to stay home, you can play an active role in reducing employee absences.  Increase health awareness and reduce the spread of germs by placing hand-washing signs in the restrooms, distributing hand sanitizer, and regularly sanitizing employee common areas such as break rooms.  You can also educate employees about CDC guidelines for flu season, including the symptoms and the suggested recovery time.

By following these simple steps this flu season, you can help prevent the spread of illness and be on your way to a healthier office!