While many people love the arrival of cooler weather, it's important to remember that it also marks the start of cold and flu season. We hear more frequent reminders to wash hands regularly and get flu shots, but people still fall ill. Businesses are also impacted by cold and flu season since it can often result in a decrease in productivity or sales. In today's Aegis blog post, we discuss some ways companies can help keep their employees healthier during cold and flu season to promote employee wellness and ensure overall productivity.

Encourage The Use of Sick Days

Businesses are often negatively impacted during cold and flu season because sick employees don't always feel that can use their sick days or paid time off to recover without facing repercussions from supervisors. As a result, they come to work sick and often spread their germs to others, leading to more sickness and decreased productivity. Instead of pressuring employees to work through their illness or not take time off, companies should encourage ill employees to use their sick days so they can fully recover and not spread germs to others. This simple step can also help boost employee morale by making them feel valued and cared for by employers and management.

Offer Telecommuting Options

In addition to encouraging the use of sick days when employees are ill, companies can also look for ways to offer more telecommuting options so employees can handle certain work tasks from home. By offering employees more opportunities to work from home part of the week or full time, it reduces the likelihood of people coming to work sick and decreasing company productivity. Employees would appreciate the flexibility of telecommuting, and companies would likely have happier, more dedicated employees.

Provide Quality Group Health Care Options

Finally, companies can go a long way in promoting overall employee health by offering quality Group Health Benefits to their workforce. When employees have quality healthcare options with a large network at affordable rates, they are far more likely to visit the doctor on a regular basis or go immediately when they fall ill. As a result, employees would be healthier and able to recover from illness much faster than those who try treating themselves at home or don't get important tests or vaccinations during cold and flu season.

Businesses that want to promote both employee health and productivity can do so by adopting a corporate culture that encourages employees to care for themselves proactively, as well as not working through illnesses or physical ailments. In addition, companies can also offer quality Group Health Benefits through Aegis Insurance & Financial Services. Our Commercial Insurance team specializes in helping businesses get the right kind of Group Health Benefits that benefits both employees and employers. Contact our Aegis office at 713-850-7622 for more information, or fill out our online form for a free quote!