Back to the Workplace: Are we there yet? Key Insights from Employers One Year Into the Pandemic

ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 1 April 2021 Executive Summary

Authors with the survey software system, Jonathan Kurka for degree is the only program of its kind worldwide and is The COVID-19 pandemic has altered from home allowed the employees from employers in 24 industry sectors data validation and quality control and Leo Pardo and designed to address the role of diagnostics in research, every aspect of our lives – how we live, to do just that. But that is changing. and 1,339 facilities at 1,168 companies. the ASU College of Health Solutions’ Marketing and clinical decision making and policy. Students, faculty and Nathaniel L. Wade, PhD how we interact and how we work. It has Employers are becoming more relevant Approximately 75% of responses are Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions Communications team for their unwavering devotion staff work together toward a common goal of improving health throughout this initiative. We would like to thank Shaun outcomes by optimizing health and human performance taken a toll on the financial, emotional, and vocal on how they prepare their from large businesses with 250 or more Mara G. Aspinall, MBA Brenton at the ASU Foundation for leveraging ASU’s across the lifespan and addressing systems of health care mental and physical health of individuals, workforce, customers, suppliers employees and 95% of responses Arizona State University, College of Health Solutions networks and partnerships to share the survey. Finally, and health needs of populations. Our graduates are uniquely families, friends and colleagues. Our and their community to return to the coming from companies based in the we would like to thank Jonathan Quick, Andrew Sweet, prepared to make an impact in the health workforce and phones and computers became our life workplace. Retailers and service U.S. and U.K. Acknowledgements Estelle Willie, Ashley Chang and Leah Perkinson at shift the focus of health from sickness to wellness. Visit industries led the way as they did not The ASU COVID-19 Workplace Commons and the The Rockefeller Foundation for their insights and support chs.asu.edu to learn more about how we are reimagining lines. Our homes became the workplace, information and insights provided in this report are possible throughout this project. the future of health. the school, the daycare – a place of have as many options for Work From The report provides employer data because of the generous time and talents of many individuals safety but isolation. Home. But, by the second quarter about the impact of the pandemic on and organizations. In particular, we would like to thank All views expressed are solely those of the authors. About World Economic Forum 2021, all employers are becoming six different types of pandemic-related members of ASU’s Decision Theater including Sri Kandala, The World Economic Forum is the international organization Work continues to play a central role more proactive. They are expanding workplace practices including testing Ramesh Gorantla, Erzhena Soktoeva, Ana Hernandez, Funding for public-private cooperation. The Forum engages the Krishna Kesani, Manjeshwar Padakannaya, Keren Hirsch, This report was funded by The Rockefeller Foundation. foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of in the lives of so many adults, so we their formal policies on how and when and contact tracing, vaccination, DeAnn Fedyski and Jon Miller for their tireless work and society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. wanted to understand how employers they will come together in person and employee wellbeing, pandemic response dedication to this project. We would also like to thank Disclosures It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and are reacting to the pandemic – what is clarifying their expectations. and preparedness, financial impact and Genya Dana and Cameron Fox from the World Economic Mara G. Aspinall is an independent board member for is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, changing, what is not – the good, the the future of work. In addition, the ASU the following public companies: Abcam, Allscripts, Castle impartial and not tied to any special interests. Forum for partnering with us to create the Employer bad and the ugly. This report, Back to the Workplace - Are Workplace Commons houses a number Survey and providing Employer Case Studies. Next, we Biosciences, OraSure and BlueCross BlueShield Arizona; truly appreciate the team from Ipsos for providing support and receives fees for serving as an advisor to The About The Rockefeller Foundation we there yet?, features results from the of employer case studies that provide with global survey deployment. In addition, we would like Rockefeller Foundation. The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of In the very beginning of the pandemic, second survey in a three-part series practical insights into how employers to acknowledge and thank the following organizations for science, data, and innovation to solve global challenges employers did not play an active role on within the ASU Workplace Commons around the world are responding to sharing the survey with their members: the Milken Institute, About ASU’s College of Health Solutions related to health, food, power, and economic mobility. As a a national scale. Policy was made by initiative which features an innovative, the pandemic. As the pandemic and The College of Health Solutions translates health research science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative the National Broadcast Association, the National Safety interactive back-to-workplace data Council, Professional Assist Corporation and the Tucson and discovery into practice and prepares students to address relationships with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller government and public health organizations. employer responses continue to evolve, Chamber of Commerce. As the Project Manager for the the challenges facing people to stay healthy, improve their Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human The medical establishment dominated dashboard that enables access to we will field one additional survey and ASU COVID Commons, Monica Lovato was instrumental health and manage chronic disease. We offer programs in impact that promotes the well-being of humanity through- the headlines on how businesses should anonymized survey data from both phase publish the results during the summer in outreach and compiling research to support this report. biomedical informatics and biomedical diagnostics; kinesiology, out the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough keep their employees safe. Most employers 1 (fall 2020) and phase 2 (spring 2021) of 2021. We are grateful for the leadership and support from Dean sports and exercise science; health care delivery; nutrition; solutions, ideas, and conversations. For more information, that could have their employees work surveys. Responses to the survey came Deborah Helitzer and our colleagues within the College of population health; and speech and hearing science. The sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and Health Solutions especially Marcus Jones for his expertise college’s online master of science in biomedical diagnostics follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.

2 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 3 Top 10 Insights Methodology Survey Overview

Vaccination The COVID-19 Workplace Commons - Keeping Top10 industries represented in rank order (Left-Right) Strong Support by Employers Workers Well survey was distributed to more than 28,800 individuals, companies, and trade association • 88% of employers plan to require or encourage their employees to be vaccinated against leaders aged 18+ from 24 industry sectors residing in COVID-19 at least 31 countries on six continents. The survey was • 59% of employers plan to incentivize their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 conducted online between March 1, 2021 and March • 60% of employers will require employees to demonstrate proof of vaccination against 31, 2021 in English and approved by Arizona State COVID-19 Technology Business + Manufacturing Construction Healthcare, Retail Stores Government Education Education Energy & University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The survey and Software Professional Hospitals, and (Pre-K to 12) (Colleges & Utilities contained 105 questions within seven broad categories Services and Clinics Quasi-Public Universities) Employee Wellbeing including facility/company location and industry sector, (Accounting, Brokers, Mental Health is now Central testing and contact tracing, vaccination, employee Corporate Banking, wellbeing, the future of work, pandemic response and Legal, etc.) • 77% of employers indicated that employee mental health and wellbeing has become a preparedness and financial impact. Respondents were top priority for their company informed that their participation would remain anonymous • 58% increase in employee mental health concerns during the pandemic compared to and confidential and were given the ability to skip any pre-pandemic according to employers question within the survey. Ipsos, a global leader in EUROPE market research, assisted with securing a majority of C Testing T survey responses, resulting in 1280 completions through Significant Increase by Employers the use of multiple panels across various industry NORTH AMERICA sectors in English-speaking countries with an emphasis ASIA AFRICA • 68% of employers are performing COVID-19 testing for at least some of their employees on companies located in the U.S. or U.K with at least 250 employees. An identical publicly available survey Work from Home resulted in 59 completions. Excluding responses with Here to Stay less than 90% completion rate, the survey resulted in SOUTH AMERICA 1,339 valid responses. Survey data were examined, AUSTRALIA • 63% of employers intend to allow their employees to work from home full-time through including categorization of qualitative responses (e.g. 2021 ‘Other - please specify’) and transformation of variables • 69% of employers describe their anticipated future work environment as either hybrid for areas like industry sector and dates. ASU’s Decision (41%) or all virtual (28%) Theater summarized results and the data featured on • 72% of employers intend to offer more flexible or expanded work from home policies for 6 24 31 1,168 1,339 their employees post-pandemic the COVID-19 Workplace Commons website dashboard • But … 68% of employers believe that employees should be in the office at least 20 hours represents valid responses. Continents Industries Countries Companies Facilities per week

4 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 5 Vaccination

There are three ways to end a pandemic – the virus burns Companies’ policies for employees itself out, it becomes endemic and we live with COVID-19 59% 84% like we live with the flu or we achieve herd immunity through Plan to incentivize Would allow vaccines or prior infection. The great news is that effective employees to be vaccinations to regarding COVID-19 vaccination vaccines were developed in record time. The COVID-19 vaccinated be administered vaccines were developed within one year where previous to employees at 1% vaccines took seven to ten years to create. The advent their facility of vaccines and their rapid distribution, however, raises Of employers will require 27% questions and concerns that many employers are grappling with for the first time. or encourage vaccination 44% for employees What are the Our survey showed surprisingly high support for vaccination 61% 60% consequences for lack with almost 90% of employers planning to require or at least Plan to change Will require employees of compliance with encourage their employees to get vaccinated. Our survey safety mitigation to demonstrate proof vaccination policy? asked employers their stance on a variety of other issues measures once of vaccination related to COVID-19 vaccination and their employees, broad vaccination 40% 32% 16% Require all Encourage but not 31% and their responses indicate that vaccination is perceived as is achieved Require some employees to be require employees significantly important for keeping the workplace and their employees to be vaccinated against 15% employees safe. to be vaccinated vaccinated against COVID-19 against COVID-19 COVID-19 • Change of work responsibilities • Disciplanary action up to termination • No Consequences • Not allowed to return to the physical work environment 8% 4% • Other We don’t have a We don’t plan to policy developed at encourage or require this time our employees to be to be vaccinated against COVID-19

6 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 7 Testing & Contact Tracing Reasons why companies choose not to test*

Test their workers Too Too complicated 31% 5% 59% costly to implement Test only for viral Test only for Test for both infection antibodies 22% 19% 18% 17% Testing remains the most effective way to measure and confirm the success of virus Worried about Concerned about Worried about liability Test availabilityty mitigation efforts including vaccination. It is in this area where we saw the most employee privacy test accuracy dramatic change in employer behavior. In our earlier study in the fall of 2020, we saw 17% of companies testing any of their employees. Although the fall study had smaller companies on average, we were surprised, but pleased, to see a dramatic increase. In this study, we saw a full 68% of companies reporting that they were testing at 15% 13% 11% least some part of their workforce. Other Time to obtain Lack of knowledge test results or information Why the big increase in testing? First, the test supply situation has fundamentally * Multiple responses are allowed changed since the end of 2020. In the spring of 2021, it became relatively easy to • The above distribution represents 68% of companies that test their workers acquire tests and hire testing service providers. There are more labs and companies with EUA’s and most have enough capacity that there are few shortages. For lab- based tests, results are most often returned within 48 hours, often faster. For rapid tests, performance including pros and cons are better understood. Second, with this Future plans for companies competition and improved technologies, the cost to test has dramatically decreased. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, knowledge of how a testing program can work who aren’t testing has increased confidence amongst employers that testing can be integrated without too much disruption. 36% 34% Uncertain Don’t test and don’t plan to test

8 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 9 Viral Testing Viral vs. Antibody Testing

826 (91%) 73% 72% What are the future plans for Viral Testing Antibody Testing Companies that test Companies with Companies that test for viral infection mandatory testing at least once a week Maintain testing at current levels 44% 38% Increase testing 42% 48% What was the most important factor in you choosing a test provider? Reduce testing 10% 9% Quality of tests 44% Tests were available 21% Not sure 2% 1% Test result turn around time 16% Government recommended 13% Stop testing 1% 3% Price 3% Colleague recommended 3% Viral Antibody

8% 10% How frequently are you 9% 12% performing viral testing? What are the What are the consequences for 46% consequences for 14% lack of compliance lack of compliance 49% if viral testing if antibody testing is mandatory? is mandatory? Once a

week 29%

23% 29% 13% 7% 6% 1% 1% • 10-14 day quarantine at home • 10-14 week quarantine at home • Change of work responsibilities • Change of work responsibilities Daily Once a month Only when Twice a month One time only Other • Disciplinary action up to termination • Disciplinary action up to termination symptomatic • No consequences • There are no company testing requirements • There are no company testing requirements

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Viral Antibody

Costs represented as median Costs represented as median 1:1 34% 1:1 41% Direct to indirect cost Workers that tested Direct to indirect cost Workers that tested ratio for viral tests positive ratio for antibody test positive

Where are your workers being tested?* Where are your workers being tested?*

Health testing Health testing laboratory laboratory 37% 29% 21% 12% 9% 40% 25% 15% 9% On site at our Local/regional Retail pharmacy Academic or At home Local/regional On site at our Academic or At home facility hospital university site hospital facility university site

* Multiple responses are allowed * Multiple responses are allowed

12 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 13 Contact Tracing

What requirements does Companies that perform COVID positive worker need to contact tracing meet to return to workplace?*

Are you tracing worker contacts 10-14 day quarantine outside of the workplace? at home 65% 31% 4% Yes No Unsure 29% 29% 11% 5% One negative Two negative No symptoms No requirements viral test viral tests for a week

* Multiple responses are allowed

14 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 15 Employee Wellbeing

Of employers indicated that employee Of employers reported an increase in the mental health wellbeing has become use of available company resources related a top priority for their company to mental health since the pandemic began

It is almost too obvious to say that everyone’s health and How Employee Wellbeing Changed During the How Employee Wellbeing Changed During the Pandemic Compared to Pre-Pandemic wellbeing has been impacted by the pandemic. While Pandemic Compared to Pre-Pandemic physical health has taken the center stage, mental health Mental Health is now being acknowledged as every bit a crisis as well. Mental Health Concerns Productivity Loneliness, depression and anxiety are present in every Concerns Engagement demographic. Work has been central to those challenges – too little work for some and too much work for others. 24% 34% 9% 2% 22% 25% 17% 3%

Our survey focused on five key areas of employee well- 57.8% 11.1% 51.8% 19.6% being: mental health, burnout, productivity, morale and engagement. The goal was to understand employers’ perceptions of how their employees’ wellbeing changed Engagement Burnout during the pandemic. Burnout Productivity

The good news is that employers understand. More than 26% 26% 15% 4% 20% 31% 11% 3% three-quarters said that employee mental health is now a top priority. More than half of employers reported an 50.6% 14.1% 46.8% 19.5% increase in the use of available company resources related to mental health. Perhaps, most impressive however is that through all of this stress, employers reported employee Morale engagement and morale increased by over 40%. Morale Increased Increased Decreased Decreased The bottom line for us is that so many are working so hard Significantly Slightly Slightly Significantly Increased Decreased 21% 23% 21% 5% to keep it all together – to balance work, family, friends and even some fun. For the most part, it has worked, but we are not sure how much longer that balancing act can last. 44.3% 26.3%

16 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 17 Future of Work Overview

Reasons why companies think Intend to offer flexible or expanded work from home employees should be in the office policies post-pandemic at least 20 hours a week 68% 63% Believe employees should Intend to allow employees Allows for social be in the office at least 20 to work from home full-time connections to be hours a week through 2021 created and maintained

How will the pandemic change our work life in the future? Will it 17% 16% 12% 10% improve? The answer is clearly in the eyes of the beholder. Our Ensures employee Allows for Contributes Develops social survey showed that the “Work From Home” phenomenon will not productivity spontaneous idea to creating and skills needed end soon and will not end as abruptly as it began. sharing and defining company when interacting problem solving culture with clients Companies reported that 57% of their employees are still remote and almost two-thirds of employers plan to allow their employees to remain remote through 2021. Yet employers understand the value of people coming together under one roof – over two-thirds of 10% 7% 3% 3% global employers believe that employees should be in the office at Encourages team- Ensure use Provides ability to Ensures proper least 20 hours per week citing their top reason as it allows for building of facility monitor training and social connections to be formed and maintained amongst colleagues. employee perfor- mentoring of new Interestingly, the most commonly cited challenge by employers for mance employees not returning to the physical workspace is that employees did not want to return, and they indicated that personal health and facility safety were the top concerns of their workforce.

18 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 19 Future of Work Overview

Describe your anticipated Companies future plans work environment in the future for their physical workspace

Hybrid (Combination of Keep virtual and physical) as is

32% Physical 28% Virtual 27% 14% 4% Downsize Decrease size No longer offer of physical a physical workspace workspace

The most challenging issues companies are facing in regards to returning employees to 1 2 3 the physical work environment in rank order: Employees not Safety of Cost of making wanting to return employees workspace safe to in-person work for employees

20 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 21 Coming Back and Remote Work

28% Positive attitude Negative attitude towards returning towards returning What are worker’s concerns about returning?* 69% 57% 60% 58% 31% 27% 2% Highest % of remote Current % of Personal health / Safety at Childcare Transportation Other employees during remote employees Higher risk for facility to facility

pandemic infection * Multiple responses are allowed When do you expect Primary concern your workforce to come about coming back back to work onsite? Personal health / High risk for infection 9% 31% 35% The next month The next three The next six months months 12% 12% Longer than Not sure six months

22 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 23 Coming Back and Remote Work

What milestones need to occur in order for What is the overall workforce’s opinion you to return workforce to work onsite?* about returning back to the workplace?

They want to return When government or eventually but not health agency allows immediately 46% 36% 35% 23% 15% 14% When all of our Decreasing When a majority They are They want They wanted workforce is cases in the of our workforce reluctant to to return to return earlier vaccinated community is vaccinated return immediately than possible 30% 24% 8% 5% 3% When we have When we have Predetermined They do not No feedback testing protocols planned safety time want to return in place measures in place

* Multiple responses are allowed

24 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 25 Pandemic Response & Preparedness

Actions Reduction Hiring in workforce freeze Companies that Companies that Top permanent action taken due to financial pressures Top temporary action taken due to financial pressures made temporary made permanent adjustments adjustments What actions have you taken?* (Permanent / Temporary) 38%/29% 34%/37% 29%/25% 25%/25% 23%/25% How long do you expect Reduction in Hiring freeze Reduced hours Executive / Furloughs temporary actions to last? workforce for hourly management workers pay cuts

21%/19% 18%/19% 18%/15% 16%/11% 15%/0% Closure Rescinding Reduced Bonuses or Changes in 15% 26% 28% job offers internship other incentives employee health The next month The next three The next six opportunities benefits months months 14%/9% 13%/13% 13%/10% 8%/6% 2%/2% 15% 10% 7% Increased Reduced pay for Increased Increased salary for Other Longer than Not sure Not applicable salary for non-management hiring non-management six months hourly workers workers workers

* Multiple responses are allowed

26 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 27 Pandemic Response & Preparedness Preparedness What type of emergency plans Had emergency Plan was very response plan useful in response did those companies have?* in 2019 to COVID-19

There is no surprise that few companies were fully prepared for a pandemic. Our research confirmed that while the Have these plans been Fire majority of companies acknowledged that they have some emergency plans, only half had prepared for an epidemic or useful for responding pandemic. This unprecedented challenge was new but by proactively developing emergency response plans, over half to the COVID-19 pandemic? of employers indicated that these plans were very useful in their current response. It seems to be broadly acknowledged that despite still being in the throes of this current pandemic, 53% 49% 49% the opportunity exists now to proactively plan and prepare for Natural Loss of Active future pandemics. disaster power shooter Very useful Employers can, and we expect will, play a more critical role in the future by collaborating and sharing their collective successes and failures during this pandemic to prepare for the next one. The ASU Workplace Commons initiative 28% 15% 6% provides case studies from our partner, the World Economic Mostly Somewhat Not at useful useful all useful 48% 29% 2% Forum, that share approaches to workplace safety and Epidemic / Civil unrest Other business continuity from around the world. pandemic

* Multiple responses are allowed

28 I ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY ASU WORKPLACE COMMONS - PHASE 2 SURVEY I 29 Financial impact

Over 25% increase in operating costs (excluding testing) due to the pandemic

Keeping workers and customers safe is imperative but also comes at a significant cost – direct and indirect. For direct Not including testing, what one-time costs have you incurred?* costs – nearly half of respondents reported over 25% Masks 71% increases in operating costs due to the pandemic with masks Hand sanitizer 67% being the top one-time incurred expense. The indirect costs Gloves 54% and loss of revenue varies broadly by industry. However, the Cleaning supplies 52% most common response amongst all industries as a result Facility upgrades (other than ventilation) 36% of the economic disruption were temporary and permanent Plexiglass barriers 34% reductions in their workforce as well as hiring freezes. Technological resources (hardware, software, apps...) 27% Other forms of PPE 25% Visit: Consultation for risk management 16% Marketing/Communication 14% ASUCovidcommons.com None of the above 4% Other 1% Contact us: [email protected] * Multiple responses are allowed

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