“It sometimes seems managers are the least likely to take a sick day,” says Liz Hill, SAIF’s Total Worker Health ® adviser. But powering through your work day with a fever and body aches isn’t doing anybody any favors. “Not only does this expose your co-workers to an illness, it also makes it a lot harder for your body to recover.”
Getting a flu shot is one of the best ways to prevent the flu. Here are three other ways managers can lead by example:
- Use sick leave—and encourage employees to do the same, especially during the first three to four days after symptoms begin, which is typically when people are most contagious.
- Make it easy for workers to wash their hands. Consider having alcohol-based hand sanitizer available on worksites where handwashing facilities are not available.
- Plan for flu season. When employees are out, extra work can fall to other staff members, increasing their likelihood of getting sick or injured. Have a contingency plan for being short-staffed.
|