It’s probably not the best idea to attend work when you’re ill. However with tight deadlines and outstanding work some employees may feel obliged to come in while feeling unwell.
Whilst you cannot necessarily control what your colleagues choose to do. You can take a peek at some of our tips below to avoid workplace illness.
A balanced diet gives your body all the essential nutrients and energy required to survive, stay healthy and energised. Not only does this help you fend off illness it also reduces the chances of future health problems such as heart problems, cancer and obesity.
A healthy diet includes:
Alongside keeping your immune system balanced and ready to fight. Eating a healthy diet comes with countless other benefits including:
To accompany your balanced diet it’s important to ensure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals they are essential for your body to function and your immune system to perform optimally.
Most work environments soon get dirty which allows for germs and bacteria to multiply. It’s important to routinely clean your workspace especially if it’s shared.
If you work in an office then you’ll be touching your keyboard, mouse and telephone for most of the day.
Germs, bacteria and dirt can build up making it one of the dirtiest surfaces we touch. Telephones are also bad for picking up germs.
Touching these surfaces then touching your face creates a recipe for a cold or sickness bug.
Other workspaces such as workshops and retail shops can also harness germs especially if it’s shared. So it’s important to keep it tidy.
Keep your bin empty and disinfect it every so often and avoid leaving food waste in there for too long.
Not only does eating at your workspace open the chance for crumbs to get everywhere and sauces to damage your electronic devices, but it also increases the chances of spreading germs that could make you sick. Especially if you’re working while eating.
Eating at your desk makes it even harder to keep your keyboard and mouse clean. Your colleagues may thank you too if you’re a loud eater or like strong-smelling foods. The best thing to do is to take a break to properly enjoy your food before returning to work.
If you work from home then investing in a good set of drawers and desk organisers allows you to only leave the essentials out on your desk.
If you work in a workshop then keeping everything organised and tucked away not only helps keep your workspace clean but also safe and reduces the risk of injury.
Following these tips greatly reduces the chances of illness in the workplace, will improve the overall hygiene of your workspace and will also improve your productivity and organisation leaving a good impression on any visitors.
Tips on how to reduce overall stress:
Struggling with stress? Check out this NHS resource or speak to your GP if you’re concerned. We also have a previous blog post about reducing your stress at work.
Getting sleep is important for you to function and perform your best. Regularly missing sleep and being deprived can result in changes to your energy leaving you feeling lethargic, can increase the risk of having mental health issues, weaken your immune system and increase the risk of disease.
Symptoms you may not be getting enough sleep:
If you’re having issues sleeping consult take a look at this NHS resource or consult your GP. We also have a previous blog post on sleeping disorders at work for you to browse.
DBOCC can provide a sickness management service and also a corporate flu vaccination program to prevent winter absence. Get in touch with a member of our team today for more information.
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