It's that time of year again, in the cold and flu season is in full swing. Every year, up to 20% of the US population catches the seasonal flu. Not only do seasonal colds and flu bugs take their toll on the population's health, but also US industry at large. Each year, thousands of workers are sent home sick and businesses continue to dredge through production understaffed. The biggest, and perhaps the only, way for businesses to combat the seasonal cold and flu season is to reduce the spread of germs in the workplace.

How Do Germs Spread in the Workplace?

In the workplace, there are typically three ways that germs are most commonly spread. The first is direct contact, which occurs when coworkers are sneezing, coughing or even talking to close to each other. Spreading germs through direct contact can be as simple as someone covering a cough with their hand and then shaking hands with another person.

The second most common way that germs are spread in the workplace is through unwashed surfaces and objects. This is especially common in industrial and manufacturing settings. Studies have shown that the flu virus can survive and infect another person for up to eight hours on an unwashed surface. High-traffic areas that are commonly touched by a high number of workers are the most likely to spread germs and sickness in the workplace. These areas are known as "hotspots" and include door handles, door knobs, dispensers, equipment and other commonly touched surfaces.

Finally, the biggest culprit in spreading germs in the workplace are unwashed hands. Sneezing, coughing, touching the face and going to the bathroom spread germs to our hands, which then spread to any surfaces touched afterwards.

Reducing the Spread of Germs

While it would be impossible to completely eliminate the spread of germs and workplace, it is possible to reduce the amount of germs that are spread and the number of employees that are sent home sick.

Send Sick Employees Home

While it may sound counterproductive, businesses have greatly reduced the absentee rate by implementing policies that require employees to go home immediately when they are sick and stay home until they are fully recovered. This prevents employees from coming back to work before they are well, getting sick again and further spreading germs.

Make Cleaning Easy

Regularly cleaning and disinfecting surface areas and commonly touched objects greatly reduces the spread of germs. You can make cleaning a regular and easy chore by providing spray disinfectant, hand sanitizer dispensers, disinfectant cleaning wipes and promoting their use. The best recommendation is to implement routine cleaning requirements for commonly touched surfaces.

In order to reduce the spread of germs through direct contact, you should promote cleanliness by encouraging employees to wash their hands after using the restroom and providing hand sanitizer dispensers for regular use. It may also be a wise investment to provide disposable tissues for sneezing, coughing and wiping hands.

This year, as the cold and flu season takes its toll on the population at large, you can do your part to reduce the spread of germs in the workplace by considering the most common ways that germs are spread and working to reduce the spread of germs in the workplace. By promoting cleanliness you can ensure that hands and surfaces are not working against you.