The Conference Coach™

I walked into my colleagues office this morning to discuss an upcoming marketing campaign for Copper Conferencing when I heard the man in the next office at another business hacking and coughing with such force that our conversation about the campaign came to a grinding halt.  Although I’m glad he works at another business, it occurred to me that he probably uses the same door I do and probably touches the same door handle I do, which made me wonder if he washes his hands or has hand sanitizer in his office to use after one of those coughing fits.

To say that I don’t want his, or anyone else’s, illness is an understatement.  I would prefer that those who are infectious stay home.  And, in light of the H1N1 flu outbreak, it might be prudent for some of the health to stay at home too.    Here’s a vote for telecommuting.

In a recently released H1N1 study of cadets at the Air Force Academy, the revelation that as many as 19% of those confirmed with H1N1 continued to emit the virus for 24 hours or more after their fever and symptoms were gone.  The findings were reported in American Journal of Preventive Medicine. (Source:  www.emaxhealth.com)

I’ve worked in many offices where the sick came to work and where, although many of the sick employees could have worked from home thereby sparing those of us who were still healthy, management felt that it was better the sick employees were in the office working than at home working.  When sick employees go to the office, it puts the entire office at risk of developing illness – not just those that work in the same department or sit next to the sick person.  Another vote for telecommuting.

So when your employees are feeling the onset of illness and are likely to be the most infectious, give them permission and encouragement to telecommute.   Most office jobs can be done in a telecommuting environment, and web meetings and phone conferences make being productive while at home much easier.

So if you haven’t already given thought to how your office will function if hit hard by H1N1 flu or other illness, do it now.  Think about what your employees will need to work from home and give them the tools to do so before they call in sick or drag themselves to the office with a fever or hacking cough.

To learn more about Copper Conferencing’s web and audio conferencing services, contact a Conference Coach today at sales@copperconferencing.com or call 866.903.7521