More than half of US adults are not comfortable returning to ‘brick-and-mortar’ workplaces, reveals a new US poll.
In fact, 54% say there are barriers preventing them from returning to “brick-and-mortar” work locations during the ongoing pandemic, according to results from the latest American Staffing Association (ASA) Workforce Monitor survey, conducted by The Harris Poll.
Only a quarter of US adults (23%) say there are no barriers for them to return to work at an on-site location. Around one in 10 (13%), however, are already back at work on-site.
TOP THREE FEARS
The top three obstacles cited by staff regarding returning to the workplace, according to the poll, include:
- Fear of catching Covid-19 at work or during commute (57%).
- Preference to work at home (35%).
- Not yet being vaccinated (34%).
TRUST ISSUES
There is also a divide about who to trust to assure it is safe to go back to working on site during the Covid-19 pandemic. Four in 10 US adults (42%) say they would trust federal, state or local government sources to assure them that an on-site work location is safe. However, more than one in three (36%) listen to work-related sources like the employer/company leadership, direct supervisors or colleagues.
Around three in 10 cite health and safety inspectors of the work location (28%) and medical personnel (27%) as sources they would trust to assure them it is safe to return to work on site during the pandemic. Less than one in 10, however, say they would trust the news media (7%), social media (7%) and celebrities or influencers (4%) to assure them it is safe to return. Notably, one in five US adults (21%) say they wouldn’t trust any source regarding whether or not it is safe to return to brick-and-mortar work locations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The ASA Workforce Monitor findings show that employers are among the top resources that US workers listen to when making decisions about returning to on-site job locations,” said Richard Wahlquist, President and Chief Executive Officer of ASA. “However, with some saying they don’t trust any sources about safely returning to work, employers must make it a top priority to clearly communicate the return-to-work safety protocols and procedures that have been put in place to ensure employee safety and wellbeing.”
Click here for more information about the ASA report findings. Reluctance to return to the workplace is not just a US issue, as employees worldwide are anxious about returning to the workplace, reveals another study, as reported.
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