With the vaccine rollout pushing forward and COVID restrictions being eased all over the country, employers are eager for a return to the office, but many employees still aren’t ready.
Since vaccine distribution began in December, 121 million people in the U.S. have been inoculated, according to NPR’s vaccine tracker. While many people are excited to return to a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy as soon as possible, 27% of employees say they aren’t comfortable returning to their workplace until fall or later, according to a survey by HealthCareInsider.com, an online resource that provides healthcare and insurance information. Seventeen percent of the people surveyed say they’ll never feel comfortable returning to the workplace.
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“There are many considerations and concerns for employees and employers,” says Jeff Smedsrud, co-founder of HealthCare.com. “Employees are concerned about the continued potential spread of the virus, the daily commute to the office, decreased flexibility and decreased productivity upon returning to work. Some employees are also worried about childcare arrangements.”
There is no question that the pandemic has had a lasting effect on people’s mental health. According to a survey by Limeade, 72% of employees say they feel burnt out due to the pandemic.
If employers insist on a return to the office, they must be mindful of the approach they take with employees, Smedsrud says. Frequent communication and promoting workplace safety can help make employees feel more comfortable.
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“With any changes in the workplace, communication is key. Explaining changes in the pipeline frequently and in a timely manner goes a long way when it comes to the respect and trust of your team,” he says. “Employees are also more comfortable about returning to work in the office based on the availability of the vaccine, daily deep cleaning, and sanitization of the office, wearing masks, hand sanitizer stations, staggering work hours, and limiting the number of outside visitors. Taking steps to ensure safety and making employees feel valued as the company’s number one priority is key.”
The survey also found that employees have picked up some bad habits in an effort to cope with the pandemic. Half of those surveyed by HealthCareInsider.com say they spend too much time looking at their screens, 40% say they are overeating, and 21% say they have developed a compulsion for online shopping.
Supportive benefits like access to online therapy, financial coaching, and wellness plans can have an enormous positive impact on an employee’s mental health and help them more successfully cope with the pandemic and eventually get more comfortable returning to an in-person workplace.
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“A robust insurance package definitely helps, along with employee assistance plans, commuter benefits, childcare benefits and a wellness program that is embedded in company culture,” Smedsrud says. “Even having some flexibility around work schedules or the opportunity to work from home as needed will help with transitioning back to the workplace.”
