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May 21, 2020

Survey: CT’s teleworkers in no rush to return to worksites

By Matt Pilon

Though their productivity has diminished and their home internet speeds aren’t quite as good, far more Connecticut telecommuting office expats are apprehensive about returning to their workplaces than are feeling good about going back, according to a new survey.

AdvanceCT polled 2,272 workers in the state between April 29 and May 12, of which more than half were working from home. Of those, 25% said they were “somewhat apprehensive” about returning to their workplace and would prefer to continue working from home, while 20% said they were “very apprehensive” and do not want to go to an on-site workplace.  Meanwhile, just 13% said they were ready to go back and not apprehensive.

The biggest concern expressed by the 2,272 respondents, who were relatively evenly distributed across key industries and age groups, was the potential for workplace exposure to COVID-19.

To feel comfortable returning to work, 74% of employees said they wanted no shared equipment, such as phones and computers. Two-thirds want employers to enforce strict social distancing measures and provide masks and gloves to every worker.

The state’s phase one reopening guidelines that kicked in Wednesday, which include offices, do limit how many people can be present and require personal protective equipment (PPE) and distancing measures.

Nearly one-third of those working at home felt their productivity had been negatively affected, while 30% said it was the same or better.
Internet connections at home were as good as those at work for 40% of respondents, while 30% said they were adequate but not as good as their work connection, and 6% said they were inadequate.

In an accompanying survey of 1,191 small employers also released Thursday by AdvanceCT, companies said their biggest desire for government assistance is help securing PPE and guidance on operating safely.

For businesses that have closed or reduced their hours during the crisis, two-thirds of owners ranked PPE supply as a very important safety factor in reopening at regular capacity. The ability to implement safety measures in the workplace on their own was ranked of highest importance. Demand for products and services was the most important business factor.

The companies said they would likely grow their workforces from current levels if the government grants relief from unemployment insurance, in the event that COVID-19 resurges in the coming months, prompting a second shutdown. 

Only 15% of the business owners that responded said they could operate without any close proximity between individuals, with 40% saying their operations required close physical proximity for 30 minutes or more at a time.
 

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