5 Tips to Beat Flu Season in the Workplace

Jan. 10, 2019
Flu season peaks between December and February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Flu season is in full charge, and its wreaking havoc in workplaces across the United States.

December, January and February are peak months for flu activity, and the illness currently is widespread across at least 24 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Because of the severity of the flu this year, taking steps to protect employees against an outbreak is crucial to keep the workplace functional.

"Businesses should be proactive in helping keep workers and customers safe from getting the flu virus by taking steps to help prevent the spread of germs in their facilities," sais Adam Soreff, director of marketing and communications at UniFirst Corp., in a statement. "This is the time of year when our facility service and hygiene programs see a marked increase in demand for such items as alcohol-based hand sanitizers, like Purell, anti-bacterial hand soaps, disinfecting cleaning products, hands-free soap and paper dispensers, and touch-free faucets and flushers."

The CDC states the flu's direct cost to businesses at $7 billion in sick days and lost productivity with an estimated 17 million workdays lost.

UniFirst has provided recommendations to help prevent work environments from becoming a breeding ground for germs that can cause the flu and other seasonal illnesses.

About the Author

Stefanie Valentic EHS Today | Senior Editor

Stefanie Valentic is an award-winning senior editor with EHS Today.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, she has been in B2B publishing for more than ten years. Her work has spanned many industries including crop protection, landscaping, horticulture and pest control.

In 2017, Valentic received ASBPE's regional bronze award for her column Sincerely Stefanie. She graduated in 2009 with a B.S. in Magazine Journalism from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.