Do a quick Google search and ask the question, ‘Where am I most likely to get sick?’. You may or may not be surprised to find that the first answer on most of the results will be ‘the office’. People may cancel a date if they are sick or they may avoid sporting events and parties, but that does not mean they are willing to surrender wages and get on the boss’s bad side over a case of the sniffles. The problem is, many people do not know how to, or do not care to stop the spread of their own germs at work. Here are a few suggestions to help defend yourself and your co-workers from the spread of illness by germs in the office.
Encourage Staff To Wash Hands Regularly
This may seem obvious, redundant, or even cliché, but it is still the very best advice anyone can give to keep you healthy in the workplace. Most people, we hope, wash their hands after using the bathroom. That is all well and good, but how many wash their hands after using a communal piece of office equipment like a copy machine?
Have you considered how many people have touched those buttons and lifted those trays recently? How about when you handle money? If currency is exchanged in your office, you may want to think about how many hands have carried that dollar bill you just touched. The point is, everything in a workplace has the potential to be covered in germs
For that matter, are you washing your hands correctly? A good way to be certain that you are effectively cleaning your hands is to remember three things. Those three things are heat, friction, and soap. Use hot water, rub your hands together vigorously, and do not skimp on the soap. After you wash, dry thoroughly.
It’s OK To Stay At Home When Sick
It may be tempting to show up for work even when you are coughing and sneezing but it is in everyone’s best interest if you stay out of the office. It is always best to stay home when you are ill. If you absolutely must be out in public while you are sick, be sure to keep those germs to yourself. Cough into a tissue, or your sleeve near the inside of your elbow, not your hand.
When you cough into your hand it is very easy to transfer germs and bacteria to others in your work environment. Wipe down the things that you touch with a good disinfectant. Most importantly, warn people to keep their distance if they can. The healthier your co-workers stay now, the healthier you will stay in the future.
Use A Professional Cleaning Service
You may be wondering why this would even be necessary if you have a group of co-workers that clean up after themselves. That may be so, but you would be surprised at what germs and bacteria unwittingly get left behind sometimes. People touch things almost constantly as they move about and interact in the office. Your in-house janitor alone will not be able to effectively clean all the necessary areas and significantly reduce the spread of germs.
Professional commercial cleaners like North Kent Cleaning Services do a lot more than surface cleaning. They get into areas that most of us would not even consider. They also wipe down all surfaces with the appropriate chemicals, while most of us are just reaching for the nearest household disinfectant for every job. In your own home, you know what goes on and what needs to be cleaned, but the office is a place where people from all different walks of life interact
