61: Percentage of employees who say they’re uncomfortable returning to the workplace
The majority of workers do not feel safe returning to the workplace, according to new data from Qualtrics. Results were gleaned from a survey of 2,000 people in the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
What it means to HR leaders
Although employers are more widely thinking about their reopening plans after closing down workplaces due to COVID-19, a variety of factors is making those plans complicated and risky.
“According to our recent data, the No. 1 thing that makes employees uncomfortable in the workplace is other employees not taking COVID-19 seriously, followed by a lack of testing for employees, and the recent rise in COVID-19 cases,” says Jay Choi, EVP and GM of EmployeeXM, Qualtrics.
Employees say the safety policies that they feel are most important for companies to enact are: enforcing social distancing (93%), limiting the number of in-person meetings (90%), requiring all employees to wear a face mask (87%) and checking employee temperatures each day before entering the building (82%).
Qualtrics’ new research is proof that it’s “mission-critical for employers and HR leaders to consistently engage with their workforce to see how they are doing, what they need, and adjust protocols that balance employee safety with employee trust,” Choi says. “This is an ever-evolving situation and adaptability based on continual understanding of employee sentiment is key to organizations thriving in the new ways we work.”
