The Costs of Illness To Employers

To some building owners and facility managers a cleaning program is somewhat of an afterthought. It's something they know is needed, but not as high on the priority list as it should be. Once the potential financial losses are understood their tune quickly changes. Employee absenteeism and "presenteeism", when employees come to work sick, are big problems as far productivity is concerned. Many studies have been done on how quickly viruses can spread in the workplace as well as how long they can survive on a given surface. The dirtiest spots in an office are typically high touch surfaces such as main entrance door handles, elevator buttons, faucet handles, microwave door handles, keyboards, water fountains, phones, and computer mice. According to The Integrated Benefits Institute, the U.S. economy suffers $227 billion in losses each year because of employee sickness. This includes all industries; healthcare, education, manufacturing, food service, retail, business services, etc. Proper cleaning and disinfecting methods can reduce the spread of contagious illness by 80 to 90 percent. This is the best way to keep illness to a minimum and to maximize productivity and profitability. Furthermore, if employees have access to hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes they can contribute in the fight against workplace sickness, improve the overall attendance at their facility and reduce the financial burden associated with absenteeism.