Recent research has shown that the infectious period of the flu can be as little as 12 hours with the common cold coming in at approximately 24 hours--underscoring the importance of isolation while sick.
The Business Case for Staying Home When Sick
Staying home when sick—everyone talks about how important it is, but research into the subject has shown that relatively few adhere to the advice, and not always for the reason many may assume.
According to a recent article published by Workforce;
Even though 82 percent of HR managers in a recent study by OfficeTeam said their company encourages staff to stay home when they’re sick, 85 percent of workers in the same survey announced that they have gone to the office while sick anyway.
According to that same survey, people say they work while sick because they feel well enough to work and they don’t want to fall behind.
Not having sick days, saving sick time in case they need it later, and not wanting to burden co-workers with extra work were other common survey responses.
The financial cost of this behavior is staggering.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that productivity losses linked to absenteeism cost employers $225.8 billion annually in the United States, or $1,685 per employee.
However;
[…] more employees are working when they are sick, costing employers about $150 billion to $250 billion or 60 percent of the total cost of worker illness.
Additionally, chronic diseases, a rapidly-aging workforce and factors like stress, fatigue and depression all affect employers’ revenue.
Worker Illness And Injury Costs U.S. Employers $225.8 Billion Annually
How Long do Viruses Last?
Depending on the type of virus and surface, the window for contagion can vary from a few minutes to several weeks.
Strangely, relatively little research has been performed regarding the active contagion window in humans, but recent studies have shed some light on the topic and underscores the necessity of isolation when sick.
[…] influenza viruses may actually only have an infectious lifespan of less than half a day.
Unfortunately, surface contamination, including our skin, is another matter entirely.
Various studies have shown that viruses typically disappear within:
- 20 minutes on human hands.
- 48 hours on hard plastic or stainless steel.
- 72 hours on money, and;
- 4 hours on soft surfaces, such as children’s toys.
Source:
The Business Case for a Clean Office
Safe, clean offices make workers happier and more productive.
According to a recent study conducted by Tork, which surveyed manufacturing employees in the United States regarding their thoughts on what contributed to a happy work environment:
- 96 percent of respondents cited operational efficiency.
- 94 percent cited safety and hygiene, and;
- 93 percent cited organization and work environment.
- The study went on to discover that:
- 90 percent of those surveyed cited high-quality tools, such as cleaning products, as having a positive impact on their productivity, with:
- 91 percent claiming those same tools had a positive effect on their happiness.
Source:
Addressing the Challenge of Illness in the Workplace
As we have seen, even the option of paid sick leave has proven insufficient in curbing the prevalence of sick workers coming into the office.
Given the lengthy window for germ life-spans, combined with the nature of regularly used, high-contact surfaces in schools and offices, the best alternative, aside from physically forcing occupants to leave the building, is to implement a thorough green cleaning regimen on a regular basis.
This should include:
Regular wipe downs of high-touch surfaces, such as coffee pots, sink faucet handles, phones, and computer equipment.
Increased air flow combined with HEPA filtration systems to dissipate airborne viruses, and;
The enforcement of high-standards hand-hygiene.
Takeaway
Given the relatively short amount of time a person may be contagious, combined with the significant reduction in performance and cognitive ability, the case can be made that it is in a business's best interest to, for lack of a better term, force sick workers to stay home for at least one or two days to recover.
Realistically, that plan will likely never work for several reasons—the psychological attachment workers have to their jobs, notwithstanding.
With that in mind, a hybrid approach that includes ongoing occupant education regarding personal health and happiness in the workplace combined with high-performance green cleaning services and high-quality hand hygiene practices has been shown to significantly increase occupant health, performance, and job satisfaction while decreasing profit losses due to absenteeism and presenteeism.
If you would like to learn more about the profit increasing advantages of outsourcing your school or businesses infection control and custodial services--contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
