The reading level for this article is All Levels
This article is for business owners that would like to hone their employee attendance and absence issues. I have had many business owners complain about the low level of work that is completed during the cold and flu season. They seem to get less from their employees and have their healthcare costs go up. In general, absences are hidden costs that are not easily recognizable. Your operations become strained when:
1. Schedule changes occur when employees are sick
2. Employees don’t show up and the understaffing effects become overwhelming on other employees
3. Products or services are delivered late due to absent employees
4. You are forced to bring in a less experienced employees to fill the void of labor
5. Temporary employees do not fit your employee profile and disrupt others
6. You are forced to pay finders fees and work with agencies for temporary employees
7. Less efficiency is realized with a strained business
(Absence effects referenced from OUTFOX Prevention)
The best way to combat the next cold and flu season is through infection control and hygiene training. Employees should be well versed on ways to keep a clean environment and also ways to stop the spread of viruses and illnesses. There are companies that specialize in working with Human Resource Directors in order to find the best program for your company and employee set. Programs don’t need to be complex. You can get a lot of positive results by instituting a few higher hygiene standards.
Scared that your employees won’t react well to training? This scenario may be all too familiar to you: a group of employees with glazed over eyes falling asleep to a PowerPoint Presentation (or other method of presentation). Trainings are necessary to get everyone educated and on the same page, but is it necessary to bore them to death? Above trying to not bore your employees in the training, there are other issues that arise. Specifically, health problem prevention can be a very touchy subject. Using an engaging and very informative training can help reduce the amount of workplace sicknesses, save on absences and the cost of absences, save on insurance costs, and reduce claims. Start living up to your responsibility to employees now by finding a training that will be interesting and at the same time get the message across.
