Workers want clear communication, enforcement of COVID-19 safety measures: survey

Atlanta — Almost three-quarters of U.S. employees are concerned about workplace safety standards and cleanliness as a protection against COVID-19, according to the results of a recent survey.

Commissioned by staffing and recruitment company Randstad, researchers from market research firm Dynata surveyed more than 1,200 working adults from Aug. 23 to Aug. 25 to learn about their type of employment, working environment expectations and workplace experiences over the past year.

Nearly 2 out of 5 respondents (38%) said they want their employer to require proof of vaccination before their workplace reopens, while 34% consider the behavior of their co-workers their first or second greatest concern about onsite work. Around a quarter of the respondents (23%) indicated that uncertainty over co-workers’ vaccination status is their top concern.

“After the uncertainty they’ve experienced over the last 18 months, American workers are signifying that they are still counting on their employers for stability and workplace safety,” Karen Fichuk, CEO of Randstad North America and Randstad N.V. executive board member, said in an Oct. 12 press release. “Workers are looking to their employers for clear leadership in communicating the company’s COVID-19 protocols and ensuring that all workers follow those standards – not always a simple task.”