Policy Backgrounders

CED Poll: Business Leaders Support Administration’s Vaccination Mandate

September 29, 2021

As the President rolls out federal mandates requiring companies ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated, a survey of CEOs and Directors, conducted by the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED), reveals mixed feelings from corporate America.

While nearly two-thirds of the surveyed business leaders support the President’s decision, more than half are concerned about their ability to implement the mandate at their companies.

CED’s survey results reveal an additional red flag: Roughly 30 percent of respondents believe the decision has negatively impacted their employees and the overall company culture.

The survey gauged more than 100 CEOs and Board Directors, approximately 90 percent of whom are at companies with more than $1 billion in revenue. All respondents will be impacted by the federal mandates.

Dr. Lori Esposito Murray, the President of CED, noted: “While our survey results reveal that the President has significant backing from the business community, the Administration should proceed with caution given the intensity of the opposition felt by a quarter of the business leaders and the expected difficulties in implementation felt much more broadly. Unless the OSHA vaccine guidelines put in place are clear and actually achieve the objective, the end result may be more division in the workplace instead of more vaccinations.”