I Don't Want to Go Back: Examining the Return to Physical Workspaces During COVID-19. Issue 11 (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Zihan; Van Egdom, Drake; Flin, Rhona; Spitzmueller, Christiane; Adepoju, Omolola; Krishnamoorti, Ramanan
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 62:Issue 11(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- energy industry -- preventive measure -- return to work; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: We study employee perspectives on return to physical workspaces to ultimately inform employers' and policy makers' decision making around the return to work during COVID-19. Methods: We tested the three-component conceptual model using survey data collected in the United States in May 2020 from samples of energy workers ( N = 333). Results: Women, non-Caucasians, and employees living in multi-generational households were less willing to return. Concerns about childcare were negatively related to willingness to return, whereas organizational strategies for mitigating COVID-19 transmission at work were positively related to willingness to return. COVID-19 infections in an employees' network were also negatively related to employees' willingness to return. Conclusions: Blanket policies may miss the nuanced needs of different employee groups. Employers and policy makers should adopt flexible approaches to ensure a return to workspaces that addresses employee concerns and needs.