Small Business Issues: Sick Employees At Work, Part 3

In the first two parts of this series, we have discussed the findings of The 2007 CCH Survey. This report highlights various issues that are impacted by sick employees during the flu season. In this final part, we‘ll examine additional tips for employees to deal with illness and pandemics.

First, it is suggested that companies have an official plan in place for any pandemics that might occur. Organizations that build pandemic plans may also help address their every-day presenteeism issues. "As part of developing a pandemic plan, organizations need to thoroughly examine all their practices and procedures related to employee attendance and illness and take steps to formalize approaches to identify patterns of illness and the employer's response," said CCH Employment Law Analyst Brett Gorovsky, JD. "Many organizations that take these steps will then roll them out as part of their overall HR practices, making sure they're adequately addressing employee illness, whether it's just a mildly severe flu season or a serious pandemic."

When it comes to ensuring a healthier workplace and minimizing potential disruptions during flu season, CCH suggest employers:

• Offer a flu-vaccination program: Sixty-six percent of organizations CCH surveyed now sponsor flu-shot programs for employees, up from 64 percent last year and 61 percent in 2005.
• Tap your employee assistance program (EAP) and healthcare support services: Determine if they offer a hotline or web site your employees can use to access FAQs and get guidance and information about healthcare issues.
• Establish and communicate guidelines: Help employees understand under what conditions they should stay home, and when it's safe to return to work. For example, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that individuals who get the flu may be able to infect others from the day before their symptoms develop, to five days after becoming sick.
• Provide tips on how to avoid spreading germs -- a good source is the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/stopgerms.htm#GoodHealthHabits. Use posters or offer the information on your corporate intranet.
• Ensure absence control policies are not counterproductive: Programs such as disciplinary action need to be assessed to ensure they don't unnecessarily pressure sick employees to report for work.
• Foster a healthy environment: Ensure managers are fostering an environment in which ill employees feel comfortable asking to leave the workplace or, better yet, not report to work in the first place.
• Set a good example: Managers should be urged not to come in sick as employees may then see the message to "stay at home" as lip service.
• Work with employees and your facilities group to keep common areas clean: Make sure these areas are cleaned regularly; this may even include cleaning conference rooms between meetings.
• Recognize helpful employees: Consider bonuses, rewards or other recognition for employees who step in to help do extra work for ill colleagues.