OBJECTIVES: Current work environments commonly use shared workspaces, known as hot-desking. With multiple workers sharing office equipment, standard office cleaning may not maintain hygienically clean workspaces that prevent common infection spread across users. Targeted Hygiene Intervention (THI) uses hygiene products correctly following pre-determined protocol targeting microbial ‘hotspots’ to achieve better reduction in common infection occurrences. This research aimed to estimate the economic impact of implementing THI in shared workspaces from both an employer perspective (reduced productivity and performance), and healthcare system perspective

METHODS: A budget impact model (BIM) was developed to estimate the economic impact of THI in UK offices with shared workspaces. The BIM utilised previous outcomes from Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) modelling that estimated the risk reduction in gastrointestinal (GI) and respiratory infections. Additional model inputs were derived from published literature, with costs expressed as 2022/23 GBP. Sensitivity analysis was performed to quantify the impact of parameter uncertainty on model outcomes.

RESULTS: The QMRA model indicates that THI reduces infection risk of common GI and respiratory pathogens by 56.7% (95% CI= 55.65, 56.47)and 36%(95% CI= 35.91, 36.48 ) respectively. For a hypothetical employer with 1,000 shared desks, which are occupied daily, approximately 700 GI infections and 560 respiratory infections are prevented over the course of a year. This results in 1,730 and 2,600 fewer workdays lost due to absenteeism and presenteeism respectively, thereby reducing absenteeism costs by approximately £191,650 and presenteeism costs by £287,500. Healthcare resource utilisation costs are reduced by £42,900 a year due to reduction in GP visits, antibiotic prescription, and hospitalisation.

CONCLUSIONS: Implementing THI reduces workplace-acquired GI and respiratory infections and can, therefore, reduce both lost productivity costs imposed on employers and burden on the healthcare system.