Dave Moore, Staff Writer
Employers are surveying workers to gauge their COVID-19 work experiences, including when they might feel ready to return to on-site work, company representatives said during the Tuesday, April 28, Dallas Regional Chamber’s virtual Talent Attraction Council meeting.
“There was a lot of anxiety around the question of ‘when are we returning’ in employee poll surveys,” said Chad Sterling, CEO at Altair Global, chair of the council. Survey responses ended up pushing the company’s return-to-office date to June – a month past the date originally anticipated.
“The feedback that we received was overwhelming,” Sterling said. He said employees were grateful for the date change. “They said, ‘Thank you… we were really nervous about it.'”
BGSF’s Beth Garvey said her firm regularly surveys its employees, and is also including them in back-to-workplace planning. Garvey said every Thursday, BGSF invites the children of its staff to virtual playdates with Spider-Man, Elsa, and others to give the parents a break.
Many who attended Tuesday’s virtual meeting said such surveys, activities, and listening to employee feedback help them build and maintain empathetic relationships with staff members.
Hilti North America’s Farren Bennett said his company is also surveying employees to get a “pulse check.” The firm is also encouraging workers – many of whom have been working on site through the outbreak to maintain the supply chain – in a fitness challenge.