Preparing for Flu Season

Although the global spread of swine flu (H1N1) has not caused the panic that some feared, experts know that if a virulent strain of influenza were to take hold, the economic consequences could be severe. Today's Wall Street Journal reports that an influenza epidemic could cost around $500 billion--and many of those costs stem from employee absenteeism.

Unfortunately, many organizations are unprepared. The Journal article reports that while 88% of companies can deal with a power disruption and 70% are ready for a technological failure, only 13% are ready for the labor difficulties that a pandemic would cause.

Year after year, influenza has proven to be a leading cause of absenteeism, costing businesses billions in lost productivity. For this reason alone, it makes sense to offer a flu vaccination program for your employees--and we can help. The CDC's website is great resource for flu prevention information; why not share it with your employees?