The Workforce Institute at UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) commissioned Workplace Intelligence to conduct a survey to look at how nearly 4,000 employees and business leaders in 11 nations - including the UK and US - consider their employers responded to the coronavirus pandemic - and investigate the needs and concerns of the workforce in 2021.
The survey found that only 20 per cent of employees found that their employer met their needs during the early months of the pandemic – but happily, the survey did show that globally 33 per cent state that they now put more trust in their employers than previously, because of the reaction of their organisations.
As a new period of increased restrictions are entered, there are many employee expectations and concerns to be addressed by business and HR leaders in order to ease the anxieties felt by the workers.
The survey found that less than half - 42 per cent - of UK organisations were prepared to manage at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and 44 per cent made mistakes. However, 53 per cent of UK workers witnessed their organisations exceeding expectations during the pandemic.
In the UK, 31 per cent of workers wished that their organisation had acted with more empathy for employees and 31 per cent wanted quicker and more open communication. This was followed by 28 per cent wishing that the response had been quicker. For the future, only 57 per cent of UK workers think that their organisation will be prepared to manage through another potential spike in the virus.
The biggest employee operational concern in the UK - 42 per cent - is balancing their workloads so that they do not get burnt out. Over half of UK workers - 51 per cent - state that they have been working either the same or more hours regularly since the start of the pandemic. However, 53 per cent of UK workers say that their organisation has taken at least some measures to guard against burnout.
Future redundancies are also a concern for employees, with 40 per cent of UK workers concerned about redundancies and furloughs due to economic instability.
Worldwide, 45 per cent of workers say overall cleanliness is a top concern; 42 per cent cite lounges and restrooms; 37 per cent mentioned conference rooms and 35 per cent voiced concerns about passing through high-traffic areas such as lifts, staircases, and waiting rooms.
Regarding person-to-person contact, 46 per cent are concerned about being quickly informed of presumed or confirmed positive coronavirus cases in the workplace and 43 per cent are concerned about their organisation’s ability to react quickly in those circumstances.
Globally, only 13 per cent of global employees are worried about their movements being tracked at work to fight the virus - signaling that they recognise the safety benefits to this approach to aid contact tracing.
Dr. Chris Mullen, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, SPHR - Executive Director, The Workforce Institute at UKG – said:
“As organisations around the world operate through an unprecedented global pandemic, they need to double down on their employee experience strategy. However, instead of looking for trendy perks, they must get back to the foundational needs every employee requires: physical safety, psychological security, job stability, and flexibility. Among employees who trust their organisation more now than before the pandemic, 70% say the company went above and beyond in their COVID-19 response. By truly putting the employee first, a mutual trust will begin to take hold that will propel employee engagement and the success of the business – to new levels.”
Dan Schawbel - Managing Partner, Workplace Intelligence; Advisory Board Member, The Workforce Institute at UKG – added:
“While organisations made mistakes during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees also recognise the unprecedented nature of this once-in-a-generation event. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, employees want their employers to adapt and evolve as quickly as possible. Those that have made changes to address and protect employees – specifically physically, emotionally, and with economic stability – have earned newfound employee trust, which will be a valuable commodity that helps ensure future success.”
