Offices Reopening After Coronavirus: Workers Look Forward to Return, Study Says
As states ease social distancing restrictions, allow stay-at-home orders to expire and reopen restaurants and gyms, offices are next on the list of everyday places entering a new normal.
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The Harris Poll, on behalf of Glassdoor, conducted a survey of 1,188 employed adults between April 29 and May 1. Of the adults surveyed, 72% said they are eager to return to their company’s office. Men were more likely than women to say they looked forward to the return to the office. Altogether, 45% of respondents expected to be back in the office in at least some capacity by the end of summer 2020.
The reason most workers are eager to return to the office has more to do with the people they work with than the work that gets done. Socializing with coworkers and collaborating in person topped the list of motivating factors.
The vast majority of the surveyed workers, 83%, said they trust their company’s senior leadership to make informed decisions and ensure their safety. And thus, they share some key expectations. More than 79% of employees said they expect employers to supply them with hand sanitizer and other disinfectant products. Over half said they expect their employers to mandate employees wear face coverings in the office and over a third said they expect their employer to conduct daily temperature checks.
These employee expectations fall within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for reopened offices. Office life is changing drastically during the coronavirus pandemic. Expect open windows, socially distanced workspaces and other changes inside reopened offices.
