New research from Robert Half US sought to understand how employees feel about their employer’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The results were surprising, with 95% of employees feeling at least somewhat satisfied about how their employers have handled the outbreak.
Source: garagestock / Shutterstock
The results were broken down a little bit more. Sixty-four percent said they were very satisfied, and 31% said they were somewhat satisfied. Only 6% said they were not satisfied. In addition, 97% of respondents noted their manager has been a source of support during this challenging time.
Of the employees surveyed, 61% said they have been working from home for a few weeks, 13% recently transitioned to a remote setup, and 2% plan to do so soon. The remaining 24% reported they are still going to the office. Respondents who have been working from home for a few weeks were most likely to report being very satisfied with their company’s response and supported by their boss.
Workers were asked, “How satisfied are you with your company’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic?” Their responses:
| Very satisfied | 64% |
| Somewhat satisfied | 31% |
| Not satisfied | 6% |
Workers were also asked, “In general, how supportive has your manager been since the COVID-19 pandemic?” Their responses:
| Very supportive | 78% |
| Somewhat supportive | 19% |
| Not supportive | 3% |
“Employers and workers are dealing with a range of changes and emotions right now, but they’re coming together to get through the coronavirus crisis,” says Paul McDonald, Senior Executive Director of Robert Half. “Companies are adapting quickly to the current situation and implementing new processes to support their staff, customers and community—and employees recognize and appreciate their efforts.”
McDonald adds, “No one knows what the future will bring, but the silver lining is that we’re all discovering new ways to work and solve problems. And in many cases, employees are seeing greater collaboration, trust and innovation among their teams, which will only make them stronger in the long run.”
Only a Slice
Remember that this survey does have a few issues. First, it’s largely focused on office workers. This does not include many of the essential positions like fire rescue, police, emergency medical technicians, medical staff, delivery, construction, and factory work. Polling those types of organizations would likely tell a very different story.
Second—and this would not normally be useful to look at—this does not cover those who were employed and now are not.