8 ways US workers expect their offices to change for the better after the lockdowns end
- Brunswick, a strategic advisory firm focused on critical issues, is running a weekly survey asking Americans questions about their attitudes on returning to work and the novel coronavirus pandemic.
- Nearly half of the respondents who are expecting significant changes to how employees work together at their companies believe these changes will be positive.
- Some of the positive changes those workers expect include more sanitary practices in the office and more opportunities to work from home.
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As workers look ahead to returning to their offices, many Americans are expecting to see permanent changes to the workplace, including more practices to assure a clean work environment and more opportunities to work from home.
In an exclusive partnership with Business Insider, Brunswick, a strategic advisory firm focused on critical issues, is conducting a weekly survey to a sample of American workers about their attitudes and their employers' attitudes regarding the novel coronavirus pandemic.
One of the questions in their ninth week of polling asked respondents about the changes, if any, they expect to see in their workplace once workers can return.
In the beginning of April, more respondents believed there would be little change to how employees work together at their companies than thought there would be significant changes.
However, the share of people who believe there will be significant changes has gradually increased. Last week, 49% of respondents reported they believe there will be significant changes, slightly higher than the 45% share who said there will be little change.
Of those who expect changes, nearly half believe that these changes will be positive, 36% are unsure, and 16% believe they will be negative.
Among workers who believe these changes will be positive, 63% believe there will be an increase in hygienic practices, such as more frequent office cleanings, and 55% believe there will be more opportunities to work remotely.
There were differences among respondents based on their type of workplace, among other measures. For instance, around 52% of people who are in manual labor jobs expect better communication, while only around 40% of those who work in an office setting expect the same.
The following chart highlights the kinds of permanent changes workers expect in their workplace, among those who believe there will be positive changes:
