New Survey of the American Worker Sheds Light on Working Through the Pandemic

Organizations that inspire loyalty and trust are the ones that provide solid leadership during a crisis, a new survey from Prudential shows.

The coronavirus pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to take the pulse of the American workforce on a number of topics during a high-stress time with an uncertain future looming.

The survey, entitled The Pulse of the American Worker Survey: Living the Future of Work, was conducted between April 29 and May 6 on behalf of Prudential by the firm Morning Consult. The research project captured the responses of 2,050 full-time workers on a variety of issues affecting work during the pandemic.

Here are just a few of the key findings:

• 55% of workers are working remotely at least some of the time during the pandemic.
• Only about a quarter (26%) say their employer offered a remote-work option before the pandemic.
• More than 6 in 10 respondents say the way Americans work will never be the same.
• 46% say they’ve had pandemic-related stress that’s negatively impacted their work.
• Nearly 6 in 10 report they’ll change their personal behavior at work to limit contact with people.
• 66% indicate their worksite needs to be reworked to create more personal space.
• 49% of workers believe open offices/workspaces are no longer conducive to their health and wellness.
• 50% want employers to limit the number of in-person meetings once the pandemic is over.
• In response to questions about remote-work challenges, employees cite distractions and isolation; only 18% report inadequate technology as a challenge.
• 59% say they feel as productive working remotely as they do at the worksite.
• As to the future of remote work, 54% of those surveyed say they’d like to work remotely in the future. Among those already working remotely, the percentage rose to 68%.
• The majority (74%) of those surveyed rate their employer’s response to the pandemic at a B or higher. Half felt more committed to their employer because of its pandemic response.
• 27% of survey participants are concerned they will not have the skills for the jobs that will be available once the economy starts back up.
• When it comes to learning, 49% say they are more likely to use online programs to learn based on their experience during the pandemic, while 44% report they’ve spent time learning a new skill during the pandemic.

For a look at the full results, download Prudential’s The Pulse of the American Worker Survey: Living the Future of Work.