It can be difficult enough for many office managers to keep staff on-task during the holiday season when employees are planning holiday gatherings and dreaming of vacations to warm destinations. Employees also take additional days off for those holidays and vacations. This means that you don't need the additional distraction of employees with colds, and you don't want employees taking extra time off work if they catch the flu. Follow these tips to keep your office productive during cold and flu season when you feel like the odds are stacked against you. 

1. Encourage Employee Flu Shots

If few of your staff members obtain annual flu vaccinations, then it can lead to an outbreak in your office that only ends when flu season does. While you can't force your employees to obtain this vaccination, an expert recommends leading by example. Get your vaccination early in the season, and spread the word about how safe and effective you feel it is. 

Also, if your company health insurance policy covers the cost of the shot in full, make sure your employees know this. You can also leave flyers around the office when you see local deals advertised for low-cost flu shot clinics that are often held for the uninsured. 

2. Increase Your Cleaning Service Visits

If your staff is generally a neat and tidy group, then you may only have your cleaning service visit your office twice a week to sanitize your office. During cold and flu season, having your office cleaned more often can help kill germs on office surfaces that can linger for days. 

The cold virus can survive on a desk, doorknob, or other hard office surface for up to a full week. Having a cleaning service such as Roadrunner Cleaning & Janitorial Services sanitize your office every evening can prevent one ill employee from infecting everyone else. 

3. Encourage Employees Showing Signs of Illness to Go Home

This tip may sound like it is encouraging employees to take time off when you need them most, but an employee who is showing obvious signs of illness should be encouraged to go home and rest. An ill employee will not only be less productive, but he or she can spread illness to other employees.

Instead of allowing the rest of the office to be exposed to an ill employee for days, you can cut your losses to help keep the rest of the staff healthy. 

You will always experience some loss of productivity in your office when employees have many holidays close together and opt to use their vacation days. Don't let illness further decrease office productivity. While you cannot keep everyone healthy during the cold and flu season, you can follow these tips to keep employee illness down and productivity up.