Although there is a third wave of COVID-19 cases crashing through the U.S., over half of employees are eager to return to the workplace.
This may be attributed to the fact that workers are better equipped with the knowledge to keep themselves and others protected from the virus, according to Adam Pressman, business segment leader for employee research and engagement at HR consulting firm Mercer.
“We have seen this shift quite a bit over the last six months,” said Pressman. “The data we’ve seen is that the majority of people want to return to work.”
Pressman added that these workers do prefer a hybrid approach through, allowing them to work in the office and remotely when needed.
Additionally, the survey revealed that employees returning to the workplace is contingent upon their employers’ ability to be transparent about how they are keeping them safe. For instance, how often are desks being sanitized? Has everyone been informed about the new policies and procedures?
The Mercer survey found that bathrooms are seen as the biggest health risk of working in-person. A survey from Office Depot back in August found that meeting and conference rooms, as well as common areas were perceived as the biggest health risk of the workspace.
While it is unclear when employees will be able to commit to coming back into the office, they will expect their employer to take extra precautions to keep them safe when they do.
