This issue’s Being Productive article is about office germs. Researching and interviewing for the article was really interesting, though I do have to admit I became a little bit paranoid. I had never considered a lot of places that germs can hide–like the bathroom door handle, my purse, my wallet. The thought of germs in the candy bowl really made me cringe. We’d like to believe that food is safe from germs, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Especially when a bowl of candy is shared among a whole group of employees!

The article references some statistics on office germs, and they are truly startling. That there are noticeable gender differences between the statistics is interesting too. I had NOT expected to find that women, on the whole, had germier offices than men. But considering how many millions of germs can hide in an office, no matter what your gender, you’re still at risk.

If nothing else, consider this: the germier your desk is, the more likely you are to get sick. Allergies are bad enough during the summer–you don’t need anything else!

For the statistics and good tips to keep the germs away, check out this month’s issue of Building Indiana News. And here’s a great link to the CDC that has printable posters that can be hung around the office to remind employees to fight germs.

–Maureen