Each year, seasonal influenza has a marked impact on businesses and employers.Seasonal flu can cause increased absenteeism, decreased productivity and higher health care costs.As an employer, you are well-positioned to help keep your employees healthy and minimize the impact that influenza has on your business. The Gardner Group works with vendors and employers to set up onsite Flu Vaccination Clinics. See how The Gardner Group can assist you in hosting your group’s next Flu Vaccination Clinic.

1. This Benefits Insights is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice.
© 2011 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.
Protect Your Business and Employees from
Seasonal Flu
Each year, seasonal influenza has a
marked impact on businesses and
employers. Seasonal flu can cause
increased absenteeism, decreased
productivity and higher health care
costs. As an employer, you are well-
positioned to help keep your
employees healthy and minimize the
impact that influenza has on your
business. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends strategies for employers
to help fight the flu.
Host a Flu Vaccination Clinic
One of the most important steps for
preventing the flu is to get an annual
flu vaccination. The CDC
recommends that all people over the
age of 6 months get a flu vaccine
each year. Hosting an onsite flu
vaccination clinic can help educate
employees about the importance of
vaccination, and make it easier for
them to get vaccinated. The CDC
offers these tips:
 Consider getting employees
vaccinated against flu as a
business priority and create a
goal aligned with this effort.
 Identify a flu vaccination
coordinator and/or team with
defined roles and
responsibilities. Determine if
you will need to contract with an
outside provider of flu
vaccination services (such as a
pharmacy or community
immunizer).
 Schedule the flu vaccination
clinic to maximize employee
participation. Flu season usually
begins in the fall of each year.
 Provide accessible flu
vaccination in as many
business locations as possible.
 Provide a comfortable and
convenient location for the flu
vaccination clinic.
 Allow employees to get
vaccinated during their normal
work day.
 Set an example by having
managers and business leaders
get vaccinated first.
 Use incentives, such as offering
the vaccine at no or low cost,
providing refreshments at the
clinic or holding a contest for
participation percentage among
departments.
 Promote the flu vaccination
clinic with posters, an article in
the company newsletter or
intranet, informational flyers and
e-mails.
 Set a participation goal to
demonstrate to employees that
participation is important.
 Consider offering flu vaccination
to employees’ families.
The Gardner Group works with
vendors and employers to set up
onsite Flu Vaccination Clinics. Let
The Gardner Group assist you in
hosting your group’s next Flu
Vaccination Clinic.
Educate Your Employees
If you choose not to provide an onsite
flu vaccination clinic, you can still
emphasize the importance of
vaccination to your employees, and
educate them about local
opportunities to get vaccinated. In
addition, educate employees about
flu prevention strategies, including:
 Covering nose and mouth when
coughing or sneezing
 Washing hands often with soap
and water (or using alcohol-
based hand sanitizer)
Brought to you by the insurance specialists at
The Gardner Group
Provide your employees with educational materials regarding
flu prevention, vaccination promotion and good hygiene.

2. This Benefits Insights is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice.
© 2011 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Avoiding close contact with sick
people
 Staying home from work when
sick, and limiting contact with
others
Ask your The Gardner Group
representative to provide you with
employee educational materials
regarding flu prevention, vaccination
promotion and good hygiene. Also,
consult the CDC seasonal flu toolkit
for more information and resources:
www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/business/Toolkit
_Seasonal_Flu_For_Businesses_and
_Employers.pdf.