5.7.20 – CI – Zachary Comeau
According to experience management company Qualtrics, workers want to see their company take steps to make the workplace safe before returning.
According to a recent survey, the majority of the workforce is not ready to come back to work as COVID-19 is still having effects, and workers have a long list of requests before they’ll feel comfortable coming back to work.
Qualtrics, an experience management software provider, asked more than 2,000 U.S. residents at the end of April if they were comfortable returning to the workplace, dining at restaurants, voting and visiting other public places.
According to the survey results, 66% of respondents said they weren’t comfortable to go back to the workplace. That was true for respondents of all ages as at least 65% in every age group said a return to the office is still a ways off.
A quarter of employees said they expect to return to work sometime in May, 28% said some time in June and 48% said they won’t return to work until August or later.
The survey also found that the willingness to return to work is different in certain regions.
Workers in the Midwest are 44% more likely to be comfortable returning to work than those in the Northeast. However, 62% of Midwesterners said they’re still uncomfortable with the idea.
Southern parts of the state are slightly more uncomfortable returning to work at 67% than the West at 62%.
Respondents also said they want to be able to take measures to keep themselves safe, like wearing a mask (64%), social distancing (61%) and requiring other employees to wear masks (57%).
Workers also want their company to take action and show leadership, as nearly three-fourths of respondents said they want the work facility to be thoroughly and regularly cleaned and disinfected, 62% said they want company leadership to consult with health officials to make sure it’s safe to come back, 62% want strict policies about who is allowed in the office and 57% want masks available to anyone who wants one.
If your AV integration firm is currently working remotely, consider listening to your employees and make sure the return to the office is as seamless as possible.
About the Author
ZACHARY COMEAU
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Zachary Comeau comes from a journalism background with more than 8 years of experience writing for several daily newspapers and industry trade publications in Massachusetts. He joined Commercial Integrator in October 2019.