Health and economic drivers of cold and flu prevention

Increasingly, companies are integrating a more holistic approach to defend employee and building occupant health against cold and flu viruses through effective cleaning methods and encouraging proper hand hygiene. It has been proven that comparatively small investments in cleaning systems and hygiene education produce exponential gains in profits and productivity.

Colds, flu, tummy bugs, and illnesses such as these are the most common reason for employee absences. Sickness can quickly and easily spread across a school or workplace resulting in significant absenteeism, resulting in potentially huge costs to businesses. In the US alone, the average number of sick days per employee per year is 7.7 days. This health-related lost productive time (LPT) equates to $225.8 billion per year in losses to employers. Additionally, sick time is unplanned and negatively affects the business as a whole by decreasing overall the production/output rate up to 54% as well as up to a 39% drop in sales and customer service.

Every year in the US, the common flu is the cause for 3.1 million hospitalized days and 31.4 million outpatient visits, accounting for the lost productivity of the patients (not to mention how awful it is to have the flu!). Further, the estimated total annual economic burden in the US imposed by the flu is close to $87 billion, of which $16 billion is lost productivity and earnings and the remaining $10 billion is spent on direct medical costs associated with influenza alone.

The common cold is probably the most common illness shared among human beings. Adults have an average of 2-3 colds every year resulting in an estimated cost of lost productivity that approaches $25 billion per year in the US. Of this, $16.6 billion is attributed to on the job productivity loss and $8 billion to absenteeism (extended absence from the workplace).

The above context really helps shed light on the value of clean. A comparatively small investment in an effective cleaning and hygiene program will help avoid or significantly reduce the health and economic impacts of seasonal flu and the common cold. Contact Oso Clean to learn more about eliminating germs and disease in your home and office through an effective cleaning program.