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Only 20% of B.C. workers feel ‘very comfortable’ returning to work during pandemic: poll

Only 13 per cent of workers would choose to be in the office now, Insights West poll suggested
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Employees across B.C. are mixed in how ready they feel to return to the workplace, a poll from Insights West suggests.

The poll, released Wednesday (June 24) found that 20 per cent of workers feel “very comfortable” returning to their workplace. Another 43 per cent feel “somewhat comfortable,” 24 per cent felt “not very comfortable” and 12 per cent felt “not at all comfortable.”

The poll’s findings suggests that men are more likely to feel totally comfortable at 71 per cent compared to 58 per cent of women.

People 55 years and older were the least likely to feel totally comfortable, possibly because older people are considered more at risk for serious consequence of COVID-19. People aged 18 to 34 and 35 to 54 were 65 and 66 per cent comfortable, respectively.

Only 13 per cent of workers would choose to be in the office now, the poll suggested, compared to 25 per cent who would go back when there is a vaccine or treatment for the virus. Another 18 per cent said they would be okay to return to in September, while 19 per cent said they would prefer to work from home permanently.

The poll suggested workers were split on how working from home had affected them; 37 per cent said it made them less productive, while 29 per cent said they were more productive.

Insights West said the poll was based on an online study held from June 18 to 21 with 879 B.C. residents.

READ MORE: CERB causing issues for some B.C. restaurants as employees turn down work

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katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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