Considering the Covid-19 scare, hand hygiene has become a necessary practice for the good health and wellbeing of all humans. CDC states that 80% of all infections are transmitted by hand. It is suggested that mild conditions such as common cold or flu, as well as severe or life-threatening disease, such as Covid-19, can easily spread through hand-to-hand contact.
Failing to promote hand hygiene at your place of business, can leave employees, guests and clients vulnerable to disease and cross contamination, with the additional possibility of air borne infection. For example, industries that deal with food processing & preparation, see an increase in food borne disease if proper hand hygiene is not practiced. All industries should encourage their employees to practice proper hand hygiene, deliberately.
So, what is hand Hygiene culture? And, is hand Hygiene our new ‘Normal’?
A study conducted in 2019, noted a 10% compliance rate, when it came to follow proper hand washing directions, leaving a company open to a possible outbreak.
One important reason an organization cares for the health of its employees, is that healthy employees are happy and more productive. Productive employees in turn, feel more fulfilled, and, contribute to your company’s bottom line. It is imperative then, that organizations encourage proper hand hygiene.
Businesses should consider promoting a hand hygiene culture as a core component of health, safety and wellness. This behavior when consistently practiced, will make it a habit for each employee to follow through with proper and consistent hand washing.
Leaders in any business must make purposeful & significant effort, to encourage this enhanced culture change. If company values, that promote hand hygiene, are documented, they become guidelines, and establish clear expectations. These values and guidelines need to then be communicated effectively, through posters, training sessions, webinars and email campaigns. When coupled with a campaign, organizations may see even greater positive behavioral changes.
Organizations where proper hand hygiene practices are the ‘norm’, encourage all employees to openly discuss their motivation & commitment to the program. Employees feel safe to discuss non-compliance and offer suggestions. Practices that are well planned, acted upon by everyone in the organization, checked for any barriers or non-compliance, and implemented accordingly, help develop a hand hygiene culture, that is effective, and leads to healthy & productive employees.
If you are interested in discussing or developing a proper hand hygiene program at your facility, please contact us at WellBeing Hygiene, a division of Rochester Midland Corporation, helping businesses stay healthy, since 1888. Call: 1-888-336-7509.
