Absenteeism is a great cost to a business and a huge drain on efficiency and productivity. Many businesses invest heavily in machinery and equipment, training and new technology to streamline processes and operations with the ultimate aim of reducing costs and making the business more efficient, but improving health and wellbeing is one of the most effective and most affordable ways you can do that. 

Flu is one of the most common causes of absenteeism, and even outside the traditional flu season of October to March each year, is a highly transmissible virus with symptoms that can badly affect an employee. An employer should never encourage an employee to attend work if they are showing symptoms of the flu virus, and they should have systems in place to manage this. Good health and wellbeing in the workplace can be achieved in many ways, but the flu vaccination is the most effective. 

The benefits of the flu vaccination

The flu vaccination is the best way to lower the chances of a person contracting flu, and to lessen the severity of the symptoms if they do contract it. It will also reduce the duration of them experiencing these symptoms. The flu vaccine prevents a person transmitting the virus to another person and therefore protects your whole workforce. Indeed, the flu vaccine can help to create a herd immunity situation where a strain of the virus can effectively die out.  

While you can book a flu vaccination programme on-site to get your workforce vaccinated against the flu, this can be inconvenient for some employers who can be impacted by a series of people leaving their jobs throughout a day, even though the vaccination is very quick and simple. The alternative in this case is to issue flu vouchers, which is a way for employees to receive the benefits of the flu vaccination while also minimising the impact on daily workplace operations.    

How absenteeism impacts on productivity

A business relies heavily on efficiency and productivity, even if these are terms normally applied to production and manufacturing. In any work environment you need operations to be slick and cohesive, and you rely on people being in position and performing their role effectively. If a person is absent for a few days this prevents the workplace operating as smoothly. The best person for a job isn’t in place, anyone who replaces them isn’t going to be as effective, and that person then can’t carry out their own role as effectively either. The knock-on effect is that work doesn’t get done, to the right quality and in the right quantity. 

This is a very generalised example of course, but it can be applied to most workplaces in terms of the nature of the work and how systems and people co-exist. Ultimately, absenteeism is a huge cost to manage and reduce and flu vouchers are a great way of doing this. 

What are flu vouchers?

Flu vouchers are a flexible and convenient mechanism through which a business can support its employees in obtaining the flu vaccination. A business can purchase a number of flu vouchers and distribute them amongst its workforce. Employees can then redeem the voucher at one of over 2000 pharmacies across the UK, and in return will be administered with the flu vaccine.  

This ensures that employees receive the vaccine and its benefits, but can do so at their convenience and where it doesn’t impact on their work. Using flu vouchers therefore means that: 

  • Convenient – An employee can get the flu vaccine at a time that suits them 
  • Accessible – Flu vouchers can be redeemed nationwide at over 2000 recognised outlets 
  • Flexible – There are a number of payment options available to the employer so that it makes most sense to them financially 
  • Protection – The employer is protecting their workforce against flu all year round, and not just against seasonal outbreaks 
  • Good employer – The employer is demonstrating best practice in promoting employee health and wellbeing 
  • Productivity – Employee care results in loyalty and commitment and better morale amongst the workforce. In turn this results in more consistency in performance and therefore better productivity for the business.  

Secure your flu vouchers from FluClinic2U

You can promote good health and wellbeing amongst your workforce by starting a flu vouchers programme as part of your employee benefits. Distributing flu vouchers means employees are able to receive the flu vaccine at a time that suits them, and at no cost. Contact our team at FluClinic2U and we can talk to you about a flu vouchers programme that suits your business and your employees too.