Envoy’s mid-February online survey of 1,000 employed (full- or part-time) US adults revealed these key takeaways for employers about returning to the workplace:
- A majority of employees (66%) say they are somewhat, very, or extremely worried about returning to the workplace based on health and safety concerns, and most are worried their workplace will relax COVID-19 measures prematurely.
- Consistent with last week’s report, a majority of employees believe (somewhat or strongly) companies should require workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine before they are permitted to return to the workplace.
- Nearly half of respondents say they’d like a hybrid work model, i.e., the ability to work some days remotely and some days from the office. Further, more than 40% expressed willingness to take a job with lower pay in exchange for hybrid work and 47% say they would likely leave their job if it didn’t offer a hybrid work model once the pandemic ends.
- Assuming a hybrid model, a majority of office worker respondents said that their co-workers’ on-site work schedules would influence whether they go into the office, whereas the “all employees “ respondent base prioritized the work they will need to get done.
The report also includes noteworthy variations in responses based on race/color, generation/age group, and industry.
See these articles: “Roughly half of Americans want to return to the office at least some of the time — but mostly to see their work friends, not their bosses” (Business Insider); “When Will Silicon Valley Companies Bring Employees Back to the Office? It Depends” (NBC Bay Area); “Will work from home outlast virus? Ford's move suggests yes” (AP); “Citigroup Plans for Hybrid Workforce Post-Pandemic” (WSJ), “A Board Priority For 2021: Re-Envisioning the Future of Work” (FEI); “Remote Job Postings Double During COVID-19” (Indeed); “Ford to launch flexible WFH plan as employees return to offices this summer” (CNBC); “Companies Wrestle With Hybrid Work Plans—Awkward Meetings and Midweek Crowding” (WSJ); “Insights from RHR’s CEO Forum on Leading in Today’s Climate: Tensions to Balance” (RHR International); “A Year Into the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Have We Learned About Workplaces and What Does the Future Hold?” (Ogletree Deakins); and additional information & resources on our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources page.
This post first appeared in the weekly Society Alert!