59% of workers in S'pore not comfortable going back to workplace: Survey

93 per cent of people said it was important to them that they are allowed to work remotely at any point if they feel unsafe.

Nyi Nyi Thet | June 11, 2020, 03:02 PM

As Singapore looks to ease restrictions soon, a common refrain from Singaporeans might be how normal will this new normal be.

Qualtrics, an experience management company, conducted a "Return to Work & Back to Business Study" to find out.

The survey asked 511 Singaporeans, among other things, how confident they feel about returning to the workplace or visiting public establishments right now.

Here are some of the results.

Some 66 per cent of workers expect to return to the workplace by July.

Some 45 percent would need a treatment for Covid-19, and some 45 percent would need a vaccine, to feel comfortable returning to the workplace.

As of the time of the survey, 59 per cent stated that they were not comfortable going back to their workplace.

Image courtesy of Qualtrics

Some 62 per cent wants to wait for government approval to return to work.

The survey found that before they feel ready to return to work, employees want their employers to put the following safety practices in place:

69 per cent of workers want all employees to be required to wear masks.

68 per cent want hand sanitiser and cleaning supplies available throughout the office.

56 per cent want social distancing enforced.

53 per cent want temperature checks required.

52 per cent want employees who voluntarily travel for work or personal reasons to be required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days after.

Once they do return to work, employees said they would feel more comfortable if the following measures are taken by their employer to protect themselves and their co-workers:

95 per cent of people said it was important to them that employees be required to wear masks.

93 per cent of people said it was important to them that they are allowed to work remotely at any point if they feel unsafe.

93 per cent of people said it was important to them to limit the number of people in an in-person work meeting.

92 per cent of people said it was important to them that social distancing was implemented in the workplace.

90 per cent of people said it was important to them that everyone has their temperature checked each day before entering the building.

Daily life

The survey also sought to find the comfort level in other aspects of life.

Almost half of respondents (45 per cent) think things will never “get back to normal”.

Over half (58 per cent) of respondents feel uncomfortable going to the gym.

In addition, almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents say they would feel uncomfortable playing a team sport and 58 per cent wouldn’t be comfortable attending a religious service.

Most respondents were uncomfortable with attending a live sporting event (73 per cent) and live concert (72 per cent).

Nearly 25 per cent of those who regularly attend sporting events said they are unlikely to attend these events in the foreseeable future, even once spectating is allowed.

Some 39 per cent of respondents said they would not be comfortable going to a live sporting event until at least January 2021, and 43 per cent of people said they would not be comfortable going to a live concert until at least January 2021.

Some 53 per cent of respondents feel uncomfortable going to a restaurant, while 34 per cent feel the same about shopping retail in-person.

Foo Mao Gen, Qualtric's Head of Southeast Asia, said of the results:

“Results reveal most consumers do not yet feel comfortable to return. It means as measures lift and businesses continue to reopen in the coming weeks and months, it’s essential they can understand how customers feel.

Identifying the measures customers want to see implemented allows businesses to take action in the areas that matter most. Capturing feedback from frontline staff and digital channels will equip organisations with the data they need to cultivate consumer trust and confidence, and ultimately move forward,”

Image from MOM and Qualtrics