The preventable spread of infection costs U.S. businesses billions of dollars every year in lost productivity--an issue exacerbated through the lack of high-contact surface disinfection.
What the Spread of Infection Costs the U.S. Each Year
Poor worker health costs the U.S. economy more than half a trillion dollars each year--you read that correctly.
That exceeds the current GDP of Sweeden.
In other words, if the cost of the health issues plaguing U.S. businesses were a countries GDP, it would rank number 25 in the world.
According to Forbes;
[...] poor health costs the U.S. economy $576 billion a year, according to new research. Of that amount, 39 percent, or $227 billion is from “lost productivity” from employee absenteeism due to illness or what researchers called “presenteeism,” when employees report to work but illness keeps them from performing at their best.
U.S. Workforce Illness Costs $576B Annually From Sick Days To Workers Compensation
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), productivity losses from missed work costs employers $1,685 per employee each year.
And, Dr. Charles Gerba from the University of Arizona estimates that a business incurs a cost of approximately $280.00 every time an employee gets a cold.
And where are the employees picking up these colds and infections?
At work, from other sick employees.
Findings show that while the U.S. workforce is keenly aware of the dangers as well as prevention tactics surrounding seasonal illness, personal accountability remains low, with nearly 80 percent of employees still going to work sick.
In fact, employees have a ready-made excuse when they get sick – it’s their coworkers’ fault. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of employees have caught a cold or the flu at work, and nearly one-third (32 percent) blame coworkers for getting sick last year.
Stopping the Costly Infection Cycle
To halt the astronomical yearly cost of workplace illness and infection, business owners and facilities managers need to do two things: clean and implement a hand hygiene program.
Proper cleaning can reduce the spread of contagious viruses by 80 to 90 percent.
Another study finds appropriate cleaning can result in a 5 percent productivity gain, which amounts to $11 billion nationwide.
Although disinfecting is standard operating procedure in healthcare, [the recommendation is to use] a hospital-grade disinfectant in most settings, particularly on high-traffic, high-touch surfaces.
The dirtiest spots in offices, according to one study, are breakroom sink faucet handles, microwave door handles, keyboards, refrigerator door handles, water fountain buttons, vending machine buttons, computer mice and desk phones.
Implementing hand hygiene programs in the workplace not only decrease healthcare costs and employee absenteeism, but improves workforce engagement and worker satisfaction.
[...] a healthy office program based on comprehensive hand hygiene improvement at the individual employee level, used in conjunction with alcohol hand sanitizers strategically placed in the workplace, significantly reduced actual health care claims for hand hygiene preventable infections (eg, cold and influenza).
Furthermore, implementation significantly improved employee satisfaction and hand hygiene knowledge and behavior.
These findings support the recommendations of many leading public health organizations to implement hygiene programs as a key nonpharmaceutical strategy to reduce the health and economic burden of illness and reduce the risk of infection during work.
References & Resources
Takeaway
Preventable infection in the workplace costs the U.S. economy more than the GDP of several first world countries every year.
Disturbingly, the challenge can be easily overcome by implementing inexpensive hand hygiene and infection prevention and control procedures with a rate of return on investment so high, it should be viewed as an untapped industry-disrupting source of income that will change the scope and face of business as we know it.
One of the core challenges in implementing these programs, for most businesses, is the absence of skill and industry-specific expertise.
Commercial cleaning has become a science, with tools so advanced, they border on science fiction.
Outsourcing your facilities' janitorial needs to an experienced provider is a cost-effective method for rapidly onboarding these vital services--one who avoids the costly challenges of turnover, recruitment, and training.
If you would like more information regarding the economic and societal benefits of a workplace hygiene program, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facilities' infection prevention and control requirements, 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
In Palmdale CA, or Lancaster CA, call (661) 371-4756
