Returning to the office? It's complicated

Gwen Flanders

July 01, 2021

Leaving the house to go back to work after toiling in quarantine for a year is no simple matter.

Panelists at the National Press Club's June 30 event "Back To The Office: Best Practices for COVID-Safe Workplaces," highlighted the challenges and, in some cases, disputes over safety protocols, COVID-19 testing on the job, resistance to being vaccinated, productivity measurement and the uncertain potential of the Delta coronavirus variant to upend the progress already made in beating back the pandemic.

So far, 85% of U.S. workers who have returned to the workplace or never left say they're comfortable there with their health and safety, according to a survey of 1,000 workers done June 22-24 for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Unoccupied office cubicles. Photo by @kate.sade on Unsplash.com

"Testing provides an extra layer of confidence," said Christopher Jowett, chief commercial officer at Visby Medical Inc. Visby has an on-site test -- a nostril swab with results in a half-hour -- being used at workplaces, schools and even the Olympics. (It was demonstrated on reporters before the discussion.)

Panel moderator Emily Wilkins, a congressional reporter for Bloomberg and Club membership secretary, asked if the work-at-home practices developed during the pandemic will lead to greater flexibility in how and where jobs are done.

Pandemic's working flexibility proves to be 'bright spot'

"That was probably one of the brightest spots that came out of the pandemic," said Johnny Taylor, president and chief executive of SHRM. Still, he said, while companies are more open to considering flexible hours and meetings online, managers are concerned about how to be sure that workers at home are as productive as they would be in the office.

Besides the ease of working at home, some people have other reasons for resisting the office, including the time saved by not commuting and the fear of bringing the virus home to an immuno-compromised family member, said Karla Miller, workplace columnist at the Washington Post.

Workers who say they function better without office distractions need to "make a business case" proving it, Miller said.

Seventy-two percent of U.S. workers are fully vaccinated, SHRM found. Only 11% of employers require it. What about workers who refuse?

For Dr. Ethan Berke, chief public health officer at United Health, the answer is to build "trust and confidence" through education and routine testing.

Miller called the pandemic and its associated restrictions "a stress test."

Berke said mental health is a "really critical" issue employers must address. Many employees are experiencing depressive anxiety, he said.

"Beyond ... coming back to the office, it was also 'Do I have a job? Can I get food? Is there toilet paper? How do I pay the bills? ... My kids are not vaccinated but I am. Should I go in or not?'" Berke said.