Many Americans Begrudgingly Return To The Office Full Time; Most Expect Mandatory Vaccinations

(NAPSI)—A new nationwide survey, commissioned by OfficeSpace Software and conducted by The Harris Poll, revealed half of those who went into an office prior to the pandemic don’t want to do so any more. 

When asked to identify which best describes their current employer’s plans for returning to the office, 48% said their employer expects them to return to the office full time, while 27% said their employer currently requires them to return to the office for part of the week . 

About one in five employed Americans would like to be able to decide where they work (in office, hybrid or fully remote), while 13% would like their employer to require mostly remote work. Surprisingly, 41% would like their employer to expect employees to return to the office full time, with the office looking/operating like it did pre-pandemic with minimal changes. 

OfficeSpace, the creator of better workplaces, commissioned the survey to better understand the sentiments and expectations of employed Americans. 

“In talking with countless customers, each is faced with a unique set of challenges and employee needs in creating a safe hybrid workplace model,” said David Cocchiara, OfficeSpace CEO. “Organizations continue to be challenged to strike the right balance in what the business needs and what their employees want. There is no single approach that works for every organization. The return will vary by company, industry, employee comfort level and geography, and organizations need options to safely bring their employees back into the workplace while providing maximum flexibility.”

Divided Opinions 

When asked about their preferred remote-workplace split, 47% want to work at an office five days a week, 51% don’t. Women are less likely than men to want to go back five days a week. 

There is, however, strong agreement on what Americans want to return to the office:

•71% agree their employer should require proof of vaccination

•70% agree employers should provide incentives for vaccinated employees

•70% agree there should be a mandatory mask policy regardless of vaccination status 

Employed Americans are divided on vaccination. Half say it has a major or moderate impact, while 39% say it has slight to no impact. Ten percent do not plan to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Workers Miss Connecting With Colleagues

Many miss social time with colleagues, in-person collaboration and a dedicated workspace. Most don’t miss the commute at all.

Learn More

For further information, visit www.officespacesoftware.com/hybrid-work-models/.

 ““Organizations continue to be challenged to strike the right balance in what the business needs and what their employees want,” said David Cocchiara, OfficeSpace CEO.https://bit.ly/32GyRMx“