As Delta surges, 4 in 10 workers fear COVID-19 exposure

As the Delta variant continues to proliferate, 42 percent of workers surveyed are worried about returning to the workplace for fear of contracting COVID-19. This marks a substantial jump from June 2021, when only 24 percent had that concern. What’s more, women and Millennials are more concerned than their counterparts, both about contracting COVID-19 personally and about exposing family members. That’s according to a new survey from The Conference Board, which asked more than 2,400 US workers about return-to-work anxiety, factors driving them to pursue new job opportunities, remote work, and more.

“With headlines about the rise of the Delta variant, breakthrough cases among the vaccinated, and an overburdened healthcare system in much of the country, COVID-19 concerns that were subsiding just two months ago have risen,” said Rebecca Ray, PhD, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board. As businesses move forward with plans to reopen the office, they should consider these concerns and communicate with staff about safety measures planned for the workplace when it reopens.

Read the survey results »