Sick People Have No Business Being at Work

This is the season to sneeze.  I've been traveling this week, and it seems almost everyone I'm meeting with has a runny nose, cough, or scratchy voice.

I am doing my best not to catch whatever is going around. But I don't like my odds.

Did you know Americans miss 100 million work days during flu season? Walgreens released a report stating that all these sick days costs employees $7 billion in lost wages! Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that about 13 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu every year.

For small business owners and their teams being sick with the flu creates a difficult choice. You really can't afford to be away from work, but going to work means spreading all those germs around. While some people decide to stay home from work, an overwhelming majority --  nearly 80 percent -- say they go to work regardless of how bad they feel.

In addition to exposing others to your illness, when you go to work sick, you aren't productive. Most likely you'll find yourself making mistakes, which costs time and possibly money. So here are some things to think about to keep your team, your business, and yourself healthy and productive this flu season.

Encourage sick workers to stay at home. That means even you.  As the business owner you need to set the example.  (Do as I say, not as I do.)  Don't drag yourself into the office when you are sick because that will send the wrong message to your team.  Develop policies to allow employees to work from home it they like until they get past the contagious period.

Reinforce good hygiene.  I know this sounds simplistic, but it's important.  Your workplace should promote good hygiene.  Provide tissues, no-touch trash cans, hand soap, hand sanitizer, disinfectants, and disposable towels for workers to clean their work surfaces. Encourage workers to clean work areas and desks to minimize germs and bacteria.  Researchers at the University of Arizona found the average office desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.

Encourage Flu Vaccinations.  Allow team members to take time off to get their flu shots.  You may even be able to have someone come to your office to administer the shot to interested employees.  At the very least, compile a list of nearby clinics which are offering the vaccine.

Be Proactive.  Don't be afraid to send someone home if you think they are a health risk to others.  When I worked in corporate America, the HR director came to my office one day and asked me to leave.  People were complaining that I was too sick to be at work.  I had 103 degrees temperature and walking pneumonia.  Now, why was everyone so worried about that.  Okay, seriously.  You need to be proactive to protect yourself, your team, and your customers.

Here's to good health and success.