We may not think about it much (or at least we try not to think about it!), but employees today spend most of their lives in the workplace or office. And the last thing we need is to get sick as a result of the time spent in these spaces. Employers don’t want their staff to be sick as it impacts productivity, and employees don’t necessarily want to spend their time at home with the flu either.
Germs and bacteria are spread throughout offices all over the world, and there’s nothing we can do to completely avoid them. However, there are a few tips we can follow to protect ourselves as best we can.
Keep your desk clean
The one thing you have quarantine control over is your personal desk or cubicle space. To keep your personal workspace as germ free as possible, ensure you wipe your desk, keyboard, mouse, and phone with antibacterial disinfecting wipes on a regular basis. At least once a week is recommended, but there’s no harm in doing it more often, especially if it’s also used by others at any point.
Avoid the kitchen hot spots
To the surprise of many, the shared office kitchen is considered to have more germs than even the restrooms. There are a few main things to stay away from the shared kitchen. Avoid using the sponge (try rinsing your containers under the tap and using papertowels to dry them), and be careful of all the bacteria living in that communal fridge. Office fridges should be cleaned out and disinfected on a regular basis, as expired food breeds bacteria.
Use hand sanitiser
Keep a bottle of hand sanitiser at your desk and use it throughout the day. This will ensure you’re regularly ridding your hands of germs. Get into the habit of sanitising your hands throughout the day, particularly after shaking hands or touching shared surfaces and door handles.
Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth
Most contagious illnesses such as the flu are actually transmitted by tiny droplets that can enter the eyes, nose, or mouth. Be conscious of touching these parts of your face after coming into contact with shared surfaces or other sick co-workers, as this is almost guaranteed to put you at risk of catching any bugs.
Practice good personal hygiene and etiquette
Wash your hands throughout the day and – as mentioned earlier – get into the habit of using hand sanitiser. You are inevitably exposed to hundreds of infected surfaces during a working day, so keeping clean hands is the first step in protecting yourself and the office from spreading germs.
When coughing and sneezing, use a tissue and throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, cover your mouth with your hands and wash them immediately. This is to protect yourself and your coworkers.
If it’s peak flu season, you could consider getting a flu vaccination but it’s usually more effective to load up on vitamins to boost your immune system such as zinc, magnesium, and vitamin C. Prevention is always better than cure, so if you’re prone to the flu or you work in a densely populated office, this is often a worthwhile precaution.
Save your coworkers
If you’re sick, make sure you stay home. You’ll be doing your coworkers a favour and limiting the spread of germs. Entire offices have been known to be taken down by a common bug that started with just one person. As mentioned earlier, make sure you contain your coughing and sneezing as well, so as not to contribute to the spread of germs.
Ensure regular cleaning
Regular cleaning of offices is a proactive way to ensure that germs are eliminated. Most large offices have daily cleaning, and encouraging all coworkers to keep their desks tidy will ensure that cleaning can be done more effectively and thoroughly. As mentioned earlier, keeping your personal workspace clean and sanitised is the first form of defence.
Minimising the spread of germs throughout office spaces is often a case of common sense combined with good personal hygiene habits. If everybody abides by these rules, the chances of germs spreading is greatly reduced and everyone will benefit from a happier and healthier working environment.
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