More than three-quarters (79%) of American employees are satisfied with their employers’ pandemic-related return-to-work plans, according to the latest American Staffing Association (ASA) Workforce Monitor online survey, carried out by the Harris Poll. Around 83% men compared to 74% women said that they were satisfied with ‘return-to-work plans’.
Satisfaction levels between generations, however, vary. Around 85% Baby Boomers are satisfied with office ‘safety’ plans, closely followed by Millennials (82%). Approximately, 77% of Gen X are satisfied, compared to just 62% of Gen Z workers.Around eight in 10 workers said they are pleased with their employers’ response to the pandemic, specifically with regard to office cleanliness protocols (85%), remote/telework policy (82%), communication from employers about the Covid-19 pandemic (81%), and benefits such as paid leave, sick leave, etc (80%).
SAFETY MEASURES
However, when planning for staff returning to ‘brick-and-mortar’ job sites, organisations must consider a range of measures to ensure the safety of their workforces, according to ASA. Employees surveyed indicated that the top five measures critical for them to feel safe on the job include:
- Social distancing measures, such as signage, plan for communal areas, reduced number of staff in workplaces at a time, etc (53%).
- Detailed cleaning protocols (46%).
- Covid-19 testing offered to employees (44%).
- Personal protective equipment required, such as face masks (44%).
- Temperature/symptom screening (43%).
However, 7% of staff said that nothing would make them feel safe on the job during the pandemic, with 14% workers in the health care sector more likely to cite this fear, compared to 6% in professional/managerial jobs, and 2% in engineering, scientific and IT roles. One in 10 workers in the industrial (8%) and office/clerical or administrative (7%) sectors also share this concern, reveals the survey.
IMPORTANCE OF WELLBEING
“Worker health, safety and well-being are of the utmost importance to all employers, but are even more top-of-mind as the nation continues to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic and businesses begin to resume traditional work and operations,” stated Richard Wahlquist, ASA’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “As part of its continued commitment to safety, ASA is providing new return-safely-back-to-work best practice protocols for all employers, and a checklist specific to ensuring the safety of temporary and contract workers.”
Click here for more information.
Sign up for our newsletter
