Survey finds 4 in 10 employers will fire workers who won’t work on-site

It’s probably wouldn’t be a good idea to tell the boss you won’t return to workplace when he says it’s time following the pandemic. A recent survey by Digital.com, a review website for small-business online tools, products and services, found that four out of 10 employers indicate they will fire workers who won’t return to the place of business full-time.

The survey generated responses from 1,500 small business owners and focused on remote work experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and plans for resuming in-person work.

And employers have good reasons for bringing workers back to the workplace. Nearly 50 percent of the survey respondents said most job functions require in-person attendance and 45 percent expressed concerns about a decline in employee productivity while working remotely. Business owners also cited other disadvantages to working from home, such as low employee morale, increased lateness due to oversleeping and distractions and increased miscommunication among staff.

By contrast, only 10 percent of employers will make remote work mandatory and 17 percent said employees will follow a hybrid schedule of on-site and remote work. Survey results also show that most business owners are willing to consider feedback from employees about work schedules. Sixty-nine percent of employers said that they have asked or plan to ask workers for their input on post-pandemic work structure.

“One critical takeaway from this survey is that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to post-pandemic workplace strategies,” said Digital.com’s small-business expert Dennis Consorte. “Many business owners want mandatory in-person attendance. They need to get direct feedback from workers, mitigate fears about the virus and demonstrate empathy about other concerns before making such an impactful decision.”

According to the report, 42 percent of businesses will require staff to get vaccinated before returning to work onsite. Employers are also in favor of other safety protocols, such as mask mandates and social distancing. Fifty-five percent of small businesses will still require workers to wear a mask, while 52 percent will prohibit or limit close interactions among employees.