Download PDFConcerns among Boston employees about returning to the workplace are higher than worries at the national level, according to a new poll by Eagle Hill Consulting.
As workplaces open back up after the COVID-19 shutdown, what are you most worried about?
67 percent of Boston employees say that they are worried about exposure to COVID-19 at their job. Nationally, this number is at 54 percent.
More than one-third of Boston workers are concerned that COVID-19 will change the way they work. That’s nearly 1.5 times higher when compared to workers across the nation.
Some good news.
The vast majority of Boston employees (73 percent) have confidence that their employers will be prepared to safely bring them back to the workplace.
But that puts a big burden on employers to deliver.
COVID-19 is perhaps the most significant business disrupter in modern history, and it is fundamentally changing the way we work. It’s paramount that Boston-area employers are anticipating the impacts of the new ways of working while ensuring employees are trained and equipped to thrive in the new environment.
Employees indicate that several factors would make them feel safe returning to the workplace, including physical distancing, testing, protective gear and careful monitoring of the workforce. Delivering on these expectations may be challenging and expensive for businesses.
Now is the time for organizations to revisit their operating model, employee and customer experience, along with training and skill development requirements to support new ways of doing business.
The 2020 Eagle Hill Consulting COVID-19 Returning to Work Survey was conducted online by Ipsos from April 22-27, 2020. The survey included 524 respondents from a random sample of employees from across the Boston metro area, polling respondents on returning to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
