Employees aren’t the only ones inhabiting those cubicles in your agency – millions of germs are too, and if you’re not careful, it’s all too easy to catch a cold or flu.
According to a study conducted by Kimberly-Clark and the University of Arizona, in an average office, the break room is one of the most highly contaminated areas, with sink faucets, microwave and refrigerator handles, and vending machine buttons all showing high levels of bacteria. The study also found high levels of contamination on keyboards. With so many germs lurking about, how can you stay healthy? Kimberly-Clark’s Healthy Workplace initiative advises a three-step plan to eliminating germs that can cause illness:
- Wash and dry your hands often. Keeping your hands clean is still the best defense against germs.
- Use sanitary wipes to regularly clean frequently touched surfaces like your desk, keyboard, mouse and phone, as well as drawer and door handles and the break room hot spots listed above.
- Use a hand sanitizer throughout the day to kill up to 99.9% of germs that cause illness.
Finally, one of the best ways to keep from spreading germs is to stay home when you’re ill. Touching surfaces after coughing or sneezing is the primary way germs are transmitted among coworkers, so use those sick days! At the American Agents Alliance, we work hard to help agents stay on top of their game. There are lots of other helpful tips at our site, so take a look around.
