Flu season is almost here! If you keep up with our blog and social media pages, you’ll know we’ve been talking a lot about the negative effects of the flu lately. That’s because we hope more employees get vaccinated this year. The flu is really nothing to leave up to chance. Without receiving an annual flu shot, your employees significantly raise their risk of falling ill with influenza.

But why does this matter to employers? Well, for one, all employers should care about the general health and wellbeing of their employees. Secondly, your company can’t perform it’s best when employees are sick with the flu. In fact, approximately 17 million workdays are lost due to the flu each year. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this equates to $7 billion lost per year in sick days and lost productivity. 

However, through advanced education, proper planning, and corporate flu shots, you can help protect your employees and shield your business from taking a major hit this flu season. To minimize the effect of the flu on your business, there are seven key ways you can help protect your employees: 

Your physical workspace is more important to your health than you might think! Office employees spend about 40 hours a week at their desks, which is why a healthy workspace is important not only your work performance but to your physical and mental health as well. One of the easiest ways to make your workspace a little healthier and more enjoyable is by adding a plant. Research has shown that by simply adding a plant to your desk, you’ll help boost your wellbeing.

The 2015 Human Spaces report, which studied 7,600 office workers from 16 countries to examine the impact of the physical office environment on employees, found that employees who work in office environments with natural elements (including natural sunlight and greenery) report a 15% higher level of wellbeing, and are 6% more productive and 15% more creative. Unfortunately, the researchers also found that about 58% of workers have no live plants in their workspaces – despite the positive effects office plants have on employees.

Indoor plants offer a wide variety of incredible wellness benefits. Keep on reading to learn about how office plants can affect your wellbeing. Plus, we include some tips on which types of plants you should get for your workspace! 

When it comes to flu season, you want all of your employees protected. The flu can lead to some serious health risks and put an employee out for a full workweek. Hosting an on-site flu shot clinic is one of the best ways to help protect your employees and prevent an office flu epidemic.

However, things can get a bit tricky if you have remote employees. These employees should have the same opportunity to receive a free flu shot, just like your on-site employees. Just because these employees aren’t physically in the office doesn’t mean it won’t harm your business if they get sick. 

While a sick remote employee can’t necessarily spread the flu around the office, a sick employee is still a sick employee. Their productivity will plummet, and they’ll likely need at least a couple of days to fully recuperate from the flu. 

So, if you don’t want your remote employees falling ill with the flu this year, here’s what to do:

Employee health screenings are one of the most important aspects of a successful workplace wellness program. Why? Because without annual screenings, an employer can’t accurately gauge the health and wellness needs of their workforce. Not to mention, employees are likely to be in the dark about any potential risks to their health.

Biometric screenings are an effective preventative service for your employees. The results obtained from these screenings give employees a snapshot of their current health status. Screening events help employees learn if they are at risk for high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. The results show employees where they might need to make some changes in their daily habits to improve their overall health.

Planning an employee biometric screening is a great step in the right direction in providing preventative healthcare assistance for your employees. However, we know that planning these types of events – especially if it’s your first time – can be a bit challenging. As you begin to plan your event, you’ll probably have some questions. 

It’s likely that some of your employees believe the flu shot will make them sick. In fact, this belief is one of the top main reasons some Americans go unprotected against the flu each year. A 2014 study found that 43% of Americans believe they will get sick from the flu shot. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

For employers, debunking this myth at your workplace is one of the best things you can do to help boost corporate flu shot participation. When employees are uneducated about the vaccine and the danger of getting ill from the flu, they are likely to skip their annual flu shot. With each employee left unvaccinated, your company faces a higher risk of an office flu epidemic.

Not sure how to tackle this common myth at your company? We’re here to help debunk that myth, and explain why the flu shot truly is beneficial for you and your employees.

If your morning and evening commutes are your least favorite part of your workday, you’re not alone. In fact, a daily car commute is ranked as one the top two things Americans hate the most on a day-to-day basis, only second to housework.

Not only is your daily commute unpleasant, it’s also bad for your overall health and wellbeing. According to a 2014 study by the University of Waterloo, the more time you spend commuting, the less likely you are to be satisfied with life. Similarly, another recent study found that adding 20 minutes to your daily commute has the same negative effort on job satisfaction as receiving a 19% pay cut.

These studies show that long commutes take a serious toll on not only your personal life, but on your professional life as well. So, why exactly are long commutes so dangerous to your health?

When it comes to staying healthy during flu season, many employees seem to be complacent. They don’t always take action – and many of your employees don’t think the flu is “that big of a deal."

But why is that? Why are some employees willing to take their chances against the flu, rather than taking one simple step to help prevent it? Well, there isn’t just one clear answer. In fact, the flu season comes with many obstacles that can lead to complacency and inaction. 

Employers need to be aware of these obstacles so that they can address them in the workplace. If employers ignore these factors, they won’t see ideal participation rates for corporate flu shots – meaning their workforce is at a much higher risk of a flu outbreak. 

While “work-life balance” might be a popular buzz term in the past few years, many employees have yet to reach a positive relationship between their work life and personal life. A survey from earlier this year conducted by FlexJobs found that more professionals are struggling with work-life balance now than they were three years ago. The survey analyzed results from over 1,200 employees to determine how work impacts their work-life balance, relationships, health, stress levels, physical fitness, and more. 

Unfortunately, the survey didn’t reveal good news. According to its results:

• Only 30% of employees are currently satisfied with their work-life balance, compared to 45% in the same survey administered three years ago
• 37% of employees reported being stressed by their level of work-life balance – up from 29% in 2015

It was also noted that work was a top source of stress, with 86% of survey respondents reporting that work “conflicts with their efforts to take care of their overall health.” So, what can employers learn from this survey? Many studies have shown that traditional office schedules do more harm than good when it comes to employee health, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. 

With flu season coming up, you’re probably just starting to plan your next on-site flu shot clinic. Which is great news because corporate flu shots are the best way to protect your office from a flu epidemic. Every flu season is a little bit different, so early planning will help ensure that you’ll get the right protection for your workforce.

We know that planning an on-site flu shot clinic can be a little bit tricky if you’re not sure what questions to ask your vendor. So, we rounded up 10 of the most common questions clients have about planning a corporate flu shot clinic. Here are some questions to keep in mind as you plan: 

Stress is one of the most common challenges employees face. It’s also one of the most damaging, too. Unmanaged stress can lead to burnout, unhealthy habits, and harm an employee’s mental and physical health. 

According to research from the American Institute of Stress (AIS), 40% of employees reported their job was very or extremely stressful, and 25% view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. Based on these stats, it’s safe to assume that a majority of your workforce is dealing with workplace stress on a daily basis.

While stress might seem like it’s a normal part of office culture, it shouldn’t ever be excused or ignored. When stress becomes chronic, it can have dangerous effects on an employee’s health and wellbeing. In fact, AIS also found that job stress is more strongly associated with health complaints than financial or family problems.