SharedHR Bulletin Says Employers Should Provide Incentives To Keep Colds and Flu Viruses at Home, Not at Work
Bird flu is a threat, but today employers should be more concerned with sick employees showing up for work than abusing time off advises the latest edition of sharedHR’s new Monthly Bulletin.
San Rafael, CA (PRWEB) December 9, 2005
With the threat of a bird flu pandemic making headline news, employers should consider the impact on their employees if the virus strikes the United States. More importantly, employers should also consider the impact of sick employees routinely showing up for work rather than taking time off, advises the latest edition of sharedHR’s new Monthly Bulletin (www. sharedHR. com/news/ (http://www. sharedHR. com/news/)). SharedHR is a supplier of Web-based services to HR professionals working in small and medium-sized business.
The Bulletin’s lead report reveals that the percentage of sick employees showing up for work can be very high, largely due to perceived pressure from managers and peers – leaving workspaces vulnerable to infection.
“One recent survey found that 90 percent of workers admitted coming to work when sick,” says Paul Finkle, President and CEO at SharedHR, one of the co-authors of the report. “They said they came to work because they feared falling behind, or did not feel supported by their employer in taking time off to get better.”
“Employers should weigh the downside of sick employees on the job and the impact on business operations and the workforce during this, the traditional cold and flu season,” says Finkle. “Whether suffering from a serious flu virus or fighting off a simple cold, just one sick employee can infect an entire office and hamper productivity.”
Traditionally, employers have been more concerned about employees taking advantage of sick leave, says Finkle. But now, he says employers should be more concerned about encouraging employees to properly use their sick time and keep wintertime viruses out of the work place.
Finkle says employers should take the following reasonable steps to ensure a healthier work environment:
· Offer defined sick-leave benefits or paid time off for employees;
· Create policies urging contagious employees to stay home;
· Allow employees to telecommute so employees can contribute without spreading illnesses at work; and
· Offer wellness programs and annual flu shots—preventative measures that should translate into fewer sick employees.
“Progressive employers are looking at ways to encourage healthy behavior on the part of their workers,” concludes Finkle. “For example, some businesses offer incentives to use sick time appropriately and to encourage healthy behavior. This helps reduce overhead, and demonstrates that employers care about employees.”
About sharedHR (www. sharedhr. com)
Based in San Rafael, Calif., sharedHR is a Web-based Human Resources Management System (HRMS) that lightens the workload for HR professionals. SharedHR supplies a complete library of HR forms, documents and policies—each reviewed and updated as needed to ensure compliance with the latest court decisions and regulatory rulings. SharedHR is the only HRMS solution in the marketplace that helps reduce employment liability risks while manage the intricacies of running today's complex HR function. Visit sharedHR at www. sharedhr. com.
This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www. HRmarketer. com) on behalf of the company listed above.
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