7 in 10 workers in Malaysia, Thailand uncomfortable returning to workplace

Over 69% of workers across all age groups in Malaysia and Thailand said they are not comfortable with returning to their workplaces at the moment, according to the “Return to Work and Back to Business” survey by Qualtrics.

The survey, which was conducted with employees of all age groups, also revealed that 62% of employees are expecting to return to their offices by July.

However, more than half of them indicated that it would require a treatment (58%) or vaccine (61%) for them to feel comfortable to be physically back with their colleagues.

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered the largest work-from-home experiment around the world as employees have been working remotely for the last few months with many countries under lockdown.

And as restrictions are beginning to ease, employers need to allow their people to return to the workplace at their own pace.

“With lockdown measures starting to be lifted, we are beginning to see businesses and workplaces reopen and return to normal. But as this occurs, employers and businesses need to remember the pace with which they are re-opening might not match their employees’ or customers’ readiness to return,” said Head of Southeast Asia Mao Gen Foo.