This summer, workers returned to their offices in the thousands. According to data from Kastle Systems, about one-third of workers across the United States had returned to their offices by early July. The percentage varied state by state and was highest in Texas (49%).
One employee in Austin, Texas, shared his experience of returning to work as a trial-and-error effort to avoid getting sick. In the end, his creativity sparked some smiles and better habits around his office. It also inspired us to create a list of the top personal hygiene items for anyone else returning to the office.
Consider Germ Hotspots at the Office
Matthew Peña was excited when he received word that he and his team would be returning to their offices.
“For 18 months, I had been working by myself at home, and I don’t have any family or pets living with me, so it was lonely,” recalls Peña. “I love the office environment and the chit-chat, so I missed having other people around me. When I found out that we’d be going back, I was looking forward to it.”
“Now that I’m back in the world, I think it’s just my body being exposed to germs that I haven’t been around for a while,” he says. “You don’t even realize all the things you touch at work until you sit and think about it.”
Peña also has a good idea of the germ hot spots in his office, including the conference rooms, where he attends multiple meetings each day.
“There are a handful of conference rooms, so everyone is touching the door handles and the tables, the telephone, the buttons on the projector remote. Also, in the conference rooms and cubicles, there’s whiteboard space everywhere. When you’re collaborating and getting ideas, you grab a marker from the person who has it, and you’re drawing everything out and passing markers around.”
The Importance of Hand Hygiene at the Office
Peña’s back-to-work story is just one example of how easy it is to pass germs by touching shared objects at the office. According to a University of Arizona study, roughly 80 percent of employees will still go to work even when they’re sick.
It isn’t easy to pull away from busy moments to wash hands or go to a hand sanitizer station across the office. However, there are ways to conveniently sanitize hands without slowing down. Vi-Jon’s Germ-X products offer a variety of personal hygiene products that are easy to carry with you in a pocket or purse or keep in your desk drawer. They include their portable hand sanitizer spray, single-use hand sanitizing wipes, and mini hand sanitizer bottle, which comes in a jelly case with an attached carabiner.
Getting Creative to Share Message of Staying Healthy
Peña came up with a creative idea to encourage better hygiene at his office and limit the spread of germs.
“I got this kind of funny idea to give my teammates each a little basket with hand sanitizer and wipes and stuff with a note saying, ‘It’s good to see you. I love your work,’ he explains.
The gift baskets were a hit. They became a funny inside joke around the office, and, to Peña’s surprise, his coworkers were using them.
While you can’t control what the people around you will do, you can always get creative in being a good influence. Fortunately, portable hand hygiene products are inexpensive and easy to gift. They’re also a fun way to show care for people who share office space (and germs).
Five Hand-Hygiene Hacks for the Office
Here are a few healthy living and good hand-hygiene items that anyone returning to the office can easily incorporate into their work routine:
- Hand Washing – Wash your hands thoroughly every bathroom break. Using anti-bacterial soap and water and following proper handwashing are great ways to improve hand hygiene.
- Travel-Sized Hand Sanitizer – This Germ-X hand sanitizer option is a classic. It comes in a jelly case with an attached carabiner, so it’s easy to clip onto a purse, a belt loop, or a personal item you carry to work.
- Hand Sanitizer Spray – If you want something ultra-convenient, pull the hand sanitizer spray out of your pocket, give your hands a quick spray, and then rub and allow your hands to dry. This one is great for sharing because you can easily give a spray or two and the amount to give each person is easy to control.
- Single-Use Hand Sanitizer Wipes – These wipes are easy to store and great for smaller pockets.
- Moisturization – Handshakes are making a comeback. If you’re frequently washing your hands, or they are drying out, Germ-X hand sanitizers contain Vitamin E and moisturizers to help balance the drying effects of Ethyl Alcohol.
When it comes to effective and quality personal hand sanitizer products, Vi-Jon’s Germ-X hand sanitizer formula is made with moisturizers and vitamin E, and USP-grade alcohol that can kill 99.99 percent of common germs in as little as 15 seconds. Consider adding these products to your shopping list. Make your back-to-work story a healthy one!
