5 ways the flu vaccine can protect your business this winter

According to the BBC, last year more than 14,000 excess deaths from flu were recorded. This is a huge figure and it just goes to show how serious the flu can be. The good news is that according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the flu vaccine prevented around 25,000 hospitalisations in 2022 in England alone.

Ensuring your workforce is fully vaccinated against the flu is the best way to safeguard the health and wellbeing of your staff, and protect the productivity and efficiency of your business this winter.

Here at YourGP, we make it as easy as possible for your staff to access the flu vaccine by providing corporate flu clinics at a time that suits your work schedule. Read on as our Occupational Health experts reveal what a positive impact it could have on your business…

1. Minimise the spread of the flu which can be serious for some people

Typical symptoms of the flu include a high temperature, tiredness, body aches, dry cough, sore throat and headache. Whilst unpleasant, these symptoms usually disappear after around seven days of rest.

For some people, however, the flu virus can be much more serious. It can make chronic medical problems worse and it can trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body and lead to sepsis. Those most at risk include pregnant women, people with pre-existing long term medical conditions e.g., COPD, asthma, heart and kidney problems, and those with lowered immunity due to disease or medication e.g., long term steroids and chemotherapy. Giving your employees access to the flu vaccine is the best way to protect their health this winter.

2. Reduce sickness and absence levels

Employees that are not in their best health are not at their most productive. And unexpected staff absences can create an immense amount of pressure on a business. Trying to meet targets and deadlines with a reduced workforce can affect morale. And of course, there is the monetary impact of paying employees sick pay for days missed at work. Vaccinating your staff can reduce sickness and absence levels, thus minimising this pressure.

3. Minimise disruption to daily operations

When staff are absent from work due to flu, it not only has a negative impact on the staff that remain at work, but on your client and customer experience too. Everyday operations can be disrupted and delayed, creating a bad impression. Ensuring your team is vaccinated can help your business avoid this disruption and any negative repercussions that might follow.

4. Improve employee engagement and retention

Organising a corporate flu clinic is a clear demonstration of your commitment to the health and wellbeing of your employees. It shows each worker that they are valued, which in turn can enhance engagement and retention.

5. Encourage staff to take their health seriously

Taking proactive steps to protect the health of your staff can encourage employees to prioritise their wellbeing. It can inspire them to take better care of themselves, having a positive knock-on effect that improves all aspects of their health. One flu vaccine could be all it takes to encourage staff to take their health more seriously.

YourGP’s corporate flu clinic: How it works

At YourGP, we aim to make the process of vaccinating your team as easy as possible. There’s no need to worry about individual employees taking time out at various points over the next few months and disrupting work schedules. Instead, a fully qualified nurse can come to your place of work to administer the flu vaccine to everyone at a time that suits you. Here’s how it works:

• We will provide you with a blank clinic template, allowing you to allocate each staff member an appointment slot. Alternatively, we can organise the clinic directly with your staff if you prefer.
• We will send you our flu consent form, which your staff can complete ahead of the corporate flu clinic date.
• We will organise one of our nurses (plus admin support if necessary) to attend your company premises and administer the flu vaccine to all staff who wish to receive it.

The vaccination only takes a few minutes to administer and the vast majority of people will not experience any side-effects, so they can get back to work within minutes, safe in the knowledge they are protected this winter.

Find out more

For further information about YourGP’s corporate flu clinics, simply call 0131 381 0322 or email occhealth@your.gp and we’ll be happy to help.

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