More than half (54%) of Canadians are afraid to return to the workplace given just how contagious the COVID-19 virus is, and six in 10 will refuse to go back if they feel it’s not safe enough, finds a new poll by KPMG in Canada. Still, 82% trust their employer to take and maintain all the necessary health and safety precautions.
“Our poll findings clearly show that Canadians are placing a great deal of trust in their employers to manage their return to the workplace and in keeping them safe,” says Doron Melnick, partner and acting lead of KPMG’s people and change advisory services practice. “The pandemic is forcing every employer in the country to adopt comprehensive protocols and safety measures, and to look at new ways of staying connected to their employees.”
Key Poll Highlights
94% of Canadians believe COVID-19 is far from over.
83% worry about getting COVID-19 or transmitting it to their loved ones.
54% admit they’re afraid of returning to the workplace given how contagious the COVID-19 virus is.
Three in five (59%) women say they’re fearful of returning, compared to 49% of men.
Top concern? Not the elevators.
When returning to their physical workplace, more than three-quarters (77%) of Canadians said their top concern was that their colleagues might come to work sick or be asymptomatic.
Nearly six in 10 (57%) were worried about sharing common spaces like meeting or lunchrooms, and 40 per cent were concerned about the air ventilation and circulation. They were least concerned about having to wear a mask in their workplace and waiting for an elevator.
