Majority of employees want a workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandate: survey

Alexandria, VA — More than 3 out of 5 U.S. employees prefer to work for an employer that has a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place, results of a recent survey show.

Commissioned by the American Staffing Association, researchers from the Harris Poll conducted an online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adult workers between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1. Among the 61% of participants who responded affirmatively to the statement, “I’d rather work for a company that requires employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 than one that does not,” 39% indicated they “strongly agree” with the statement. Conversely, 23% “strongly” disagreed.

Older workers are the most likely to want vaccine mandates in the workplace, with 73% of the silent generation (generally defined as people born from 1928 to 1945) and 68% of baby boomers agreeing. Generation Z workers (55%) are the least likely to want a vaccine mandate at work.

Additionally, 2 out of 5 respondents plan to look for a new job in the new year. Among this group, 63% said salary will be the most important factor in their decision. “No COVID-19 vaccination mandate” ranked seventh, at 14%.