January and February are the peak of the cold and flu season, and for many companies, it brings a noticeable dip in output known as the “February Slump.” While you cannot control the virus, implementing professional workplace hygiene solutions is your best defense to keep your doors open and your team working.
The Real Cost of a Sick Day
It is easy to think of a sick day as a minor inconvenience. A manager might scramble to cover a shift, and that is the end of it. On the contrary, the financial impact is often much deeper. According to the
When one employee comes to work sick, they are likely to infect two or three others, especially in the close quarters of an automotive shop, a production floor, or a shared office. Consequently, a single sick day can quickly spiral into a department-wide slowdown. Deadlines are missed, customers are forced to wait, and the remaining healthy staff are overworked, leading to burnout. Therefore, viewing hygiene products not as a simple expense, but as “productivity insurance,” is a shift in mindset that successful managers make.
The High-Touch Hazard Zones
To fight the spread of illness, you first have to understand where the battle is fought. In most industrial and commercial facilities, the danger zones are not necessarily the shop floor itself, but the shared spaces where the crew gathers
The Restroom Reality
The restroom is the primary vector for germ transmission. If your facility relies on old-fashioned bar soap or bulk-fill dispensers, you might be contributing to the problem. Bulk-fill dispensers, where new soap is poured into an open reservoir, are notorious breeding grounds for bacteria. Furthermore, if employees have to touch a dirty lever to get soap or paper towels, the entire purpose of washing their hands is defeated.
The Breakroom Factor
The breakroom is where your team relaxes, eats, and unfortunately, swaps germs. Surfaces like coffee pot handles, microwave buttons, and refrigerator doors are high-touch points that are rarely sanitized enough. If you do not provide accessible sanitizing options in these areas, the virus spreads rapidly during lunch hour.
Upgrading Your Defense with Touch-Free Technology
The most effective way to combat this transmission is to remove the “touch” from the equation. Modern workplace hygiene solutions have moved almost entirely to touch-free technology for a reason.
Investing in automatic, touch-free soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers significantly reduces cross-contamination. When an employee can wash and dry their hands without touching a single shared surface, the risk of picking up a virus drops dramatically. Moreover, switching to touch-free dispensers often reduces waste, as they dispense a measured amount of product, preventing the “handful of towels” grab that costs you money.
Speaking of towels, many studies suggest that single-use paper towels are more hygienic than air dryers. Air dryers can blow bacteria back into the air and onto clean hands. In contrast, the friction of drying hands with a paper towel physically removes bacteria, leaving hands cleaner and safer.
The Danger of the Empty Dispenser
Even the best technology fails if it is empty. We have all been there: you walk into a restroom only to find the soap dispenser dry and the towel roll empty. In that moment, hygiene stops. Employees leave the restroom without properly washing their hands and return to work, spreading germs immediately.
This is often the result of relying on a “store-bought” strategy. When you rely on an office manager to remember to go to the wholesale club to buy soap, shortages are inevitable. However, partnering with a professional service provider eliminates this variable.
With our
A Clean Space is a Morale Booster
Finally, there is a psychological component to surviving February. Working in a clean, well-stocked facility simply feels better. When an employee walks into a restroom that smells fresh, has full dispensers, and feels sanitary, it sends a message that the company cares about their health.
This boosts morale during the gloomiest month of the year. Employees who feel cared for are more likely to be engaged and productive. Conversely, a dirty facility with empty dispensers breeds resentment and lowers standards across the board.
Don’t let the February Slump derail your Q1 goals. By taking a proactive approach to workplace hygiene solutions, you are protecting your most valuable asset—your people.
Is your facility ready to fight the flu season?