As today is Halloween, it is only fitting to tell you a scary story. We all have that person in our office that refuses to take a day off. This person comes to work with a hacking cough, fever, sore-throat—you name it. While the dedication is a positive thing to see, it can prove quite harmful to the rest of the office—we all touch the same doorknobs, breathe the same air and share the same space. On days when truly under the weather, the best solution to staying productive is telecommuting. Conference call services have advanced to the point where not being in the office is not a detriment, and one can show their dedication to the team without putting the health of the team at risk.
It is clear when a sick day is needed, and employers will appreciate the fact that you want to work, which is why telecommuting is the solution of choice. By working in the comfy confines of home, one can stay in tune with the day’s tasks by using a reliable Web conferencing provider. It allows for document sharing, open communication and most importantly a high level of productivity.
There are also the days when one pushes to get to work, but sadly by lunchtime sickness has gotten the better of you. This is not something that can be planned, and for most workers (3 percent of U.S. workforce telecommutes full-time) they are not necessarily set up to work from home. However, as long as the team member has a phone line and an Internet connection hope is not lost. A quick, easy and reliable solution is reservationless conference calls. They require minimal to no planning, and can have you on the phone with the rest of the team, clients or prospective clients in minutes—allowing you to salvage the rest of your workday.
When cold and flu season strikes, there does not need to be an office outbreak. With the proper awareness and leveraging of resources a sick day can remain a productive one. Remember to wash your hands, keep surfaces clean and when sickness strikes to have your conference call services provider’s number nearby.
Edited by Alisen Downey