The Return to the Office
Updated: Sep 11, 2020
Covid-19 Lifestyle + Workplace Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent survey. We received over 320 responses from across the United States, and even as far as London, Hong Kong, and Chile. When answering the questions, we asked our survey respondents to assume that Stay-at-Home orders have been lifted, but there is not yet a COVID-19 vaccine available. Our goal is to understand the public’s attitudes towards anticipated future behaviors.
Here is what we found…
25% of people surveyed currently live with someone who has a pre-existing health condition.
72% of people surveyed stated that YES the people I live with will influence the precautions that I take.
Similarly, 72% of people surveyed stated that YES I will wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when in public.
We asked:
During the Covid-19 pandemic, does your current occupation allow you to work from home?
66% of people surveyed stated that YES I will wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when in the workplace.
An additional 19% were unsure, and only 15% said NO they will not wear PPE in the workplace.
We asked:
Will you feel comfortable going to work in a shared workplace?
We asked:
What are your biggest fears or concerns, if any, with going back to the office?
This was posed as an open-ended question. Below are the most common answers.
Commuting via public transportation
Asymptomatic spread of the virus to friends, family, or other coworkers
Coworkers coming to work when ill, or being exposed to others who are not taking precautions
Germs within community spaces of the office – elevators, restrooms, kitchens, etc.
Arranging childcare
Contracting the virus and/or contracting the virus and spreading to friends and family
Outside customers or consultants coming into the office who are not taking safety precautions
Inadequate office layout - not being able to maintain social distancing or a germ-free environment
Precautions not being enforced
“[My biggest fear in going back to the office is] that I could bring the virus back home, having to use public transportation for commuting, which could also harbor a lot of germs, and others not sticking to precautionary measures…”
We asked:
What policies would make you feel safer when going to your workplace?
We asked:
Are there any items or practices you would like to see implemented into the workplace to make you feel more at ease?
This was posed as an open-ended question. Below are the most common answers.
Touch free everything (doors, faucets,fixtures, etc)
Improved ventilation
Sanitizing stations
Staggered shifts, flexible hours
More space
Private offices
PPE equipment provided by employer
Constant cleaning
“…that management puts in place the proper cleaning routines, and rules for staff to follow to keep everyone as healthy and safe as possible. It is a time for mindfulness of what we are doing and caring about how we affect other people.”
We asked:
Ideally, how often would you go into the workplace?
“I do not like working from home! Home is my space for downtime. I enjoy having a place to go to be efficient. I also miss social interactions with my coworkers. Working from home has gone pretty smoothly so far, but I find it frustrating at times to have to wait for someone to look at Slack or check their email instead of just asking a question in person.”
We asked:
Ideally, how often would you work from home?
