- 3/4 of employers will offer flu prevention tips to employees this season
- 1/4 of employers will offer products to prevent and treat flus and colds
- More hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial cleaning supplies are showing up in office settings
- Employers are looking for ways to educate employees like informational brochures and posters for the breakroom.
Workplace Media sees that recession is driving workers to spend more on flu/cold remedies this year given workers’ concerns for job security. The Consumer Intentions and Actions survey finds that, while American workers are more positive about the economy in general, their spending is on needs more than wants. OTCs for managing health fall into the ‘needs’ category.
The proof of this is in the data: spending on OTC cough/cold/flu meds was up in December 2009. Workers purchased 28% more cough medicine on a weekly basis in 12/09, and 20% more cold/flu meds weekly in December more frequently than the general U.S. population.
Coupling this evidence with the growth of worksite clinics solidifies the fact that the workplace is certainly a key locus for health.