Since 2011, the first Monday of every February has been known as Sickie Day – down to the fact that, statistically, this is the day when most people are likely to call in sick in the UK. With gloomy weather, post-holiday blues, and seasonal illnesses in the mix, it’s hardly surprising – yet, prior to the pandemic, sickness-related absences were costing UK businesses £77.5 billion per year.
Employers might not be able to do anything about the weather and time of year, but seasonal illness is one area where they can be more proactive in addressing the issue.
Items like touchless washroom accessories, anti-bacterial door handles, air and surface sterilisers, actively reduce the spread of germs and bacteria at work, helping to keep staff safe and healthy. Here is our rundown of the best investments a business can make to maximise hygiene in their workplace:
Fast-drying hand dryers
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that thoroughly dry hands are critical in the effective hand washing process as wet hands spread germs more easily than dry hands do.
Hand dryers, these days, are powerful enough to completely dry hands in 10 seconds. Fast-drying hand dryers come in a range of styles and prices – so there’s no excuse for old and poor electric hand dryers that take a long time to dry and force people to dash out of the washroom with damp hands – which are much more likely to spread germs.
Hand dryers are generally more hygienic than paper towels, requiring no touch and avoiding bins of wet paper towels which are a breeding ground for germs. Of course, if paper towels are the preference, we highly recommend an automatic dispenser to minimise the transfer of germs.
Touchless washroom accessories
Most bacteria need a warm, moist environment to survive and can live on hard, dry surfaces for one to two hours. Halt the transfer of viruses and bacteria on wet surfaces in the washroom by going completely touchless.
Soap dispensers , sanitiser dispensers , sensor taps and, of course, hand dryers, can all be operated without a single touch, offering a more hygienic solution and peace of mind for staff.
Air & surface sterilisers
These remove harmful viruses, break down bacteria and provide clean fresh air in hard to ventilate areas.
There are units specifically for washrooms and others for continuously occupied areas , all providing chemical-free air and surface disinfection that’s friendly to the environment, whilst promoting hygiene continuously, 24/7 – even in hard-to-reach areas.
To help employers keep their teams safe and avoid sickness-related absenteeisms not just on Sickie Day, but throughout the year, we are offering a 20% discount on our range of air sterilisers featured here between 6th and 12th February 2023.
Simply use the code SICKIE20 at checkout.
Antibacterial door handles and push plates
Anti bacterial door handle covers and wraps kill up to 99.9% of bacteria, greatly reducing the risk of picking up germs when using a door. They make sure that surfaces that have to be touched by many don’t allow germs to settle and grow for the next user to pick up. Like air sterilisers, these can be used to complement general cleaning routines, offer 24/7 protection.
The team at Intelligent has been delivering tailored advice on hand dryers and washroom products since 2012, and a passionate about delivering bespoke solutions for every customer’s unique needs. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a chat about your washroom requirements – it’ll make our day.
