Do you ever wonder if your employees are allergic to work?
Odds are their jobs aren’t what’s causing their misery. All those sneezy, itchy, watery-eyed cubicle dwellers could simply be suffering from garden-variety fall allergies.
It’s more common than you might imagine. New Gallup data reports that as many as one in 10 Americans are sick with allergies on any given day. That’s 10% of us, and during this time of year, the nasty affliction can take out as many as 15% of Americans.
The 10% estimate is more than the number of people who report being sick with a cold or the flu at the height of cold and flu season.
The problem with allergies is that, unlike colds and flu (and depending upon what the sufferer is allergic to), there’s little you can do in the way of prevention. That’s assuming your office building is reasonably free from common allergens such as dust, mold, and harsh cleaning chemicals.
Allergy symptoms are varied and can easily be mistaken for a cold or even the flu. That might account for some of the missed workdays you’re noticing among those prone to allergies.
Depending on the severity of their symptoms and the degree to which they affect their ability to perform day-to-day functions, the sufferer might need to see a doctor to discuss options for relief.
And while it’s tempting to say since they’re not contagious they should be at work (especially with something as chronic as allergies), remember that an employee who feels bad is not getting a whole lot done anyway.
If too many absences becomes a problem, talk to your employee about what can be done to help keep him or her more comfortable at the office. A little understanding goes a long way.
And take heart: While allergies are a year-round nuisance, their prevalence will taper off through the winter.
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