Allergic to Work: Why Your Office Might Be Making You Sick

Studies have shown that college students who live in dorm rooms are sixty times more likely to get sick than those who live at home or in apartments. Why? Because any time there are lots of people together in a close space, germs begin to make the rounds and diseases are spread much more quickly. If you've been getting sick a lot lately, you probably aren't allergic to work, but your office might be making you sick.

When you think about it -- if you want to think about it -- there are dozens of places in the average office where germs are likely to congregate. The telephone receivers, the computer keyboards, the coffee pot, the drink station, the toilet seats and the sinks are just a few examples. Your office might be making you sick because very few offices are cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis and employees come to work even when they're sick because they have to make enough money to live.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, east coast offices are the most likely to contain significant numbers of bacteria, which is the number one reason why your office might be making you sick. The weather coupled with the amount of time people spend in their offices is enough to create a germ farm out of any office. New York ranks the highest in dirty offices followed closely by Maine.

If you have noticed that lots of people are becoming sick in your office, it's time to take a few measures for the safety of employees. If workers can't come in because they're sick, productivity takes a major dive and the cycle continues to propagate. It's important for office managers to warn their employees about cleaning up after themselves and to make sure that the janitorial team is doing what they can to cut down on bacteria.

Encourage employees to stay home when they're sick. If employees continue to come in when they're feeling under the weather, the bacteria continues to spread, ensuring that more people will get sick at the office. Instead of pressuring your employees to come in no matter what, give sufficient sick days to allow employees to stay home when they catch a bug.

Provide a sink to wash coffee mugs and utensils. If your employees eat and drink at their desks, it's important that glasses, coffee mugs and utensils be washed after every use. According to Germa, a microbiological research institute, more bacteria can be found on the average coffee mug than on an entire desk. Make sure that employees have access to dish soap and hot water so they can keep their glasses and utensils clean.

Keep disinfecting wipes at the office. Another way to keep employees from getting sick at the office is to keep disinfecting wipes where everyone can use them. Experts advise you to wipe down your desk, keyboard, mouse and other items at your desk at least once every seven days to keep bacteria at bay.

Clean telephones on a regular basis. Telephones are magnets for bacteria and it's easy for employees to get sick while using phones because the receiver is right up against the face. Use disinfecting wipes and Q-tips to clean telephone handsets and even the base at least once a week.

If you think that you're office is making you sick, it's important that you work toward creating a healthier work atmosphere. Encourage other employees and your boss to do the same.