Put it in perspective
Mumm and Summers both try to put the need to stay home in relatable terms for employees. “A lot of our workers are moms, so we try to make them think of their students as their kids,” Mumm says. “We ask, ‘Would you want to pass this on to your kids?’” At Hendricks, Summers puts a price tag on the issue, and coaches workers on whether they should see a doctor or not. “People come to work because they can’t afford to miss work, but coming in often is more expensive in the long run, because they might [later] miss more than one day,” she says. Instead, Summers talks to team members about getting rest, eating well and staying hydrated to prevent the spread of illness.