In bustling office environments, a handshake is often the first point of contact, making the spread of germs as routine as the exchange of business cards. With flu season and other contagious conditions looming, it’s high time for workplace hygiene to shake things up. In this guide below, we bring awareness to a few easy ways to encourage hand hygiene in the workplace and why it matters for safety and well-being.
Cultivating the Role of Hand Hygiene
Every surface in the workplace is a potential hotbed for germs. Yet, the act of proper handwashing can reduce the occurrence of illnesses by up to 20 percent. This is not just a matter of workplace tranquility but an underpinning of productivity. Healthy employees are in the office, contributing their best, rather than quarantined at home battling illness.
Hygiene Beyond the Bathroom Door
Educating your team about hand hygiene is as critical as providing the tools to execute that knowledge. Simple training on thorough handwashing techniques, such as the 20-second soap-and-water rule, can be the difference between a germ-infested cubicle and a sickness-free sanctuary.
Visual reminders in break rooms and workspaces serve as subtle yet effective reinforcements. These can take the form of posters that outline the steps of proper handwashing with catchy slogans that grab employees’ attention. Also, don’t be afraid to kindly remind employees that basic handwashing in the workplace is a way to protect everyone during flu season.
Ounces of Prevention: A Hygiene-Focused Ecosystem
Availability is essential with basic in-office hand hygiene. Dispersing hand sanitizers throughout the office and ensuring they always have sanitizing solutions means accessibility and utilization.
It’s also vitally important to maintain a clean environment by disinfecting shared surfaces regularly. Instituting a cleaning schedule can also ensure no corner of the office is a microbial metropolis. These efforts also go hand-in-hand with a safe working environment, a part of an employee’s basic workplace rights every employer should know.
Policy Reinforcement and Support
A robust set of hand hygiene policies equips employees with knowledge of expectations and reinforces the importance of their actions. These guidelines should be clear, concise, and readily accessible to all staff, perhaps even ingrained into the company’s code of conduct.
To bolster compliance, consider implementing recognition programs for exemplary hygiene practices. During flu season, emphasize the need for added vigilance and reward teams with the best compliance rates with incentives like extra paid time off.
These are some of the easiest ways to encourage hand hygiene in the workplace. And while it may seem like common sense, it’s essential to understand that everyone can benefit from reinforcing basic skills, especially in shared workplaces and spaces. Hand hygiene in the workplace isn’t just a seasonal concern—it’s a fundamental element of a healthy and thriving work environment. By committing to these strategies, offices can see a direct correlation between hand hygiene and a reduction in sick days and the overall health of the workplace
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