Why it is important to book your flu shots at work before the Winter hits
- Written by: News Co
Influenza is a viral infection that can be transmitted through any contact with an infected person or animal. The virus itself is airborne and the onset of flu symptoms can vary from person to person.
Flu symptoms generally start with a runny nose or a cough that will not go away, as well as a high fever that can be anywhere from 38º C to the higher end of the scale. These symptoms are caused by a virus that has not yet reached the critical phase. This means that the virus can cause some discomfort for a few days, but the infection is not yet making its way into the central nervous system of the human body. When the virus does get into the body, it may result in a variety of different complications that include sore throat, coughing up blood, and even pneumonia.
For this reason, it is very important to ensure that your employees are all protected from this disease, and the best way to do this is a flu vaccine shot. There are many misconceptions about the flu shot that may make you hesitant to bring them to the workplace, but this illustrates why those misconceptions are incorrect
Let’s take a look at why companies and organisations need to book flu shots at work before the winter hits.
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Workplace Productivity
Workplace flu vaccinations can minimise the number of people who fall ill. If a large percentage of the workforce is ill, it means that productivity can slow down. Workers will have to file for time away to seek medical treatment in the worst-case scenario. Workers who will be able to continue with their duties might not be as efficient as they won’t be in their best physical and mental state. This means that workplace productivity slows down and compromises profits and targets. By the time staff members recover, deadlines may have been missed and the organisation will have to go into catch-up mode.
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Avoids Absenteeism
When one is suffering from a severe flu, they will have to spend time at home resting. This period can be anything from a few days to a week. Absenteeism not only affects productivity, but also the morale of the workforce. It may mean that other staff members may have to take on the duties of the absent employee while simultaneously tackling their mandates. Such scenarios can lead to fatigue and demotivation, which in turn negatively affects the organisation.
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Staff Motivation
An organisation that shows interest in workforce wellness has motivated staff. Employees may appreciate the fact that the organisation would have gone out of their ways to care for their employees. When staff feel appreciated, the levels of motivation to produce high-quality work may increase. This means that the business or organisation’s productivity and profit levels increase. Disgruntled staff however may lack the motivation required to produce the results intended by the business or organisation.
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Community Wellness
Having your staff immunised means you lower the risk of your workers catching the flu, being affected heavily from flu symptoms, and spreading it within their households. This means that your organisation would have played a role in reducing the risk of the flu widely spreading within communities. Also, facilitating that your employees get the flu shot encourages a ripple effect. They may also encourage that their families get the flu shot as well so that the whole unit is protected from the flu.
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Positive Branding
The image of a company or organisation is also moulded by how it treats its workforce. Administering flu shots for the workforce is just one of the many ways that encourage positive branding of a business or company.
The workforce will spread the word about the initiative taken by their employers and may encourage others to do the same. Positive branding has a direct correlation with the success of an organisation.
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Positive Company Culture
A company can infuse the administering of flu shots with other hygiene practices that then naturally become a part of the company culture. Educating the workforce about the flu, how it spreads and the dangers of it, and how to recover from it, will encourage workforce hygiene which prevents other diseases and illnesses. Employees will then practice regular washing of hands and sanitising regardless of flu season.
Conclusion
Immunisation against the flu shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s important to provide flu shots for employers because it means that the risk of having a whole group of workers sick is lowered. This means that there won’t be high levels of absenteeism which curbs productivity. Employees will also feel appreciated and important by having their health considered a priority which encourages a motivated team of workers. Positive branding is also instilled by such initiatives and it also means that the community benefits from a group of immunised community members. Others may also be encouraged to follow suit.
Daily Bulletin
