¾ US staff still ‘anxious’ about returning to workplace

Around 73% of US workers still have some anxiety about returning to work; with women more anxious about it than men, confirmed a new study.

Employees who are beginning to return to in-person work for the first time in over a year have mixed reactions. Around 27% are entirely relieved; 25% are entirely anxious; and the rest have a mixture of both, according to market research tech firm InnovateMR.

Female staff are more anxious than their male counterparts. Around 31% of women reported being entirely anxious about returning to in-person work, compared to 16% of men. Also 34% of men noted they were entirely relieved about the return to the office; compared to just 24% of women.

WORKPLACE HEALTH CONCERNS

Not feeling safe from Covid-19 (33%) and fear of bringing home the infection to friends/family (29%) were the top two reasons listed as a specific source of anxiety. Approximately 14% stated that concerns about their current physical appearance was a main source of anxiety for heading back to the office. And 13% expressed fear that their in-person social skills have declined due to pandemic quarantining. 

“There have been signs that the worst is behind us. US infection rates have plummeted since their peak in January; and increased vaccination rates provide sound reason for optimism,” stated Will Luckey, study author and Director of Client Development at InnovateMR. “However, despite vaccinations and rapidly declining caseloads, the return to ‘normalcy’ will not be an immediate transition. It will take time for workers to feel once again comfortable with in-person interactions.”

The findings reiterate the results from the latest American Staffing Association (ASA) Workforce Monitor survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, which revealed that more than half of US adults are not comfortable returning to ‘brick-and-mortar’ workplaces, as reported.