Cold and flu season has arrived. And your small business workplace may be the breeding ground for all those germs.
For a small business, having a healthy workforce is especially critical. With fewer workers, when even one person is out sick, it’s tough to handle the workload. And healthy workers are more productive.
According to a cold and flu survey conducted by @Staples, 80 percent of employees say they go to work when they know they’re sick. Yikes! With so many people showing up to work when they’re sick, it’s no surprise that more than 73 percent of workers catch a cold or flu at the office.
That’s bad news, because all those flu viruses your sick workers bring to the workplace stick around. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), those viruses can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. Pull out those disinfecting wipes! (Not even half of employers provide disinfecting wipes to employees to protect against germs currently.)
So what can you do to keep your employees healthy and your small business running smoothly?
In addition to wiping down surfaces with disinfecting wipes regularly, the first thing is to encourage workers to wash their hands frequently. That’s pretty straightforward, common-sense advice.
But you can elevate your company’s cold and flu prevention program with some wellness-enhancing Feng Shui tips for your office.
#Staples partnered with Feng Shui expert Susan Chan to help you design an office that boosts energy and promotes health and wellness. She offered me several tips for office managers and employees.
“Check your lights and use full spectrum lighting—lighting that mimics natural light that helps living things, like plants, thrive,” said Chan. “And ensure that there is ample upward facing lighting. Upward facing lighting lifts chi [universal energy] and overall energy.” Chan went on to suggest that if replacing office lighting is not possible, consider adding full-spectrum lamps to desks.
Chan also spoke about air quality. “Purify the air by opening windows. If that isn’t possible, add plants where you can. They are natural air purifiers. Or explore purchasing air purifiers or filters. Ensure the doors to conference rooms are open in between meetings to promote air flow.”
Chan had many other tips to enhance the energy in office spaces:
- Bring in nature. Add living elements, like plants or fish, to your offices and common areas. And a dog-friendly office adds good energy too!
- Add some color. In Feng Shui, yellow promotes energy and health. Lush and healing green and purples—considered wood elements—lend energy and vitality to your workplace. Add these colors with pictures, accent pieces, and desk accessories.
- Declutter. When desks, offices, conference rooms, and break rooms are uncluttered, employees feel calmer. They spend their time being productive rather than wasting precious time searching for important items.
Healthier employees means more productive employees, with fewer sick days. It pays to invest in one of your company’s most important assets: your employees.
Staples carries everything office managers need to fight this year’s cold and flu season, from help with design for higher productivity to the products that can boost employee health and wellness. For more cold- and flu-fighting tips, visit the Staples Health & Wellness Center. #sponsored
This is a sponsored post with Staples. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Copyright, Rhonda Abrams, 2017
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