Q. How can I help my employees stay healthier so there are fewer absences during cold and flu season?

A.When employees are out sick, it’s often you who has to cover those hours. The advice below comes from Bob Negen of Whizbang! Training in Grand Haven (www.whizbangtraining.com).

Money, paper money in particular, is covered with germs and bacteria. Who knows where that stuff has been! That’s why it makes sense to practice preventive medicine in your store.

A few simple tricks can go a long way towards keeping you and your staff healthy.
• Keep an anti-bacterial cleanser at the counter. This type of product requires no rinsing and only takes a second to use. Encourage your staff to use it often.
• Clean and disinfect the telephone and register keys periodically throughout the day and definitely at the end of the workday. Disinfectant wipes are useful for this purpose.
• Make sure your bathroom is equipped with anti-bacterial soap and paper towels. Stock extras during the cold and flu season. Post signs explaining the importance of hand-washing in preventing the spread of illness.
• Consider paying for a flu shot for your staff and give them time during their shift to go get it. A few dollars and an hour or two of payroll could save you a lot of lost time and productivity.

And remember, it starts with you. If your staff sees you taking care of yourself and you help them by providing the cleanser, soap, towels and flu shot, you may have the edge in the ongoing battle against cold-weather illness.

Do you have a retailing question? Ask the Michigan Retailers Association
by mail: 603 South Washington Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933;
by fax: 517.372.1303;
by e-mail: mra@retailers.com.