87% Of Workers Have Heightened Concerns About Working In An Office With The Rise Of New Covid-19 Variants, Honeywell Survey Finds

6 in 10 surveyed workers would leave their job if employers do not take measures to create healthier indoor environments and promote well-being

January 20, 2022

ATLANTA, Jan. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) today released initial findings from its second annual study on workers' perceptions and feelings on the health and safety of their workplace. Conducted by Wakefield Research, the study surveyed 3,000 office workers who typically work in buildings with 500 or more employees across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, the Middle East and ASEAN.

Highlights from the study include:

As variants of COVID-19 spread, the survey shows that a significant majority of respondents (87%) are more concerned about working in an office building. Despite the broad rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations, this is a 19 percentage point increase in concern compared to last year's findings. Results from the January 2021 survey, of a smaller sample size, showed 68% of workers not feeling completely safe working in their employer's buildings at the time.
62% of all respondents would leave their job if their employer does not take necessary measures to create a healthier indoor environment that promotes well-being.
When asked their thoughts on what poses a bigger threat to their safety, nearly 3 in 5 (57%) of those surveyed noted co-workers not following safety guidelines, while more than 2 in 5 (43%) said outdated ventilation systems.

"Many companies have been forced to again rethink their return to office strategies given rising infection rates," said Manish Sharma, vice president, chief technology and chief product officer for Honeywell Building Technologies. "These insights imply that employers need to continue to consider how they are creating healthier and safer workspaces, in particular related to improving indoor air quality and tracking compliance to guidelines such as social distancing and mask wearing. In the long term, creating a healthier workplace can be a competitive advantage to drive employee satisfaction and retainment."

Honeywell's Healthy Buildings solutions that integrate air quality, safety, and security technologies along with advanced analytics to help building owners improve the health of their buildings, operate more cleanly and safely, comply with new guidelines, and help reassure occupants. Honeywell's advanced indoor air quality portfolio can help improve occupant well-being, meet energy efficiency goals, and importantly, change the way that occupants experience a building.

These initial survey results are a preview of a larger, forthcoming report from Honeywell Building Technologies that will be available in February.

Methodology

The Honeywell Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 3,000 office workers in buildings of more than 500 workers in six markets: U.S., U.K., Germany, India, Middle East and ASEAN between December 17th and January 11th, 2022, using an email invitation and an online survey.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

About Honeywell Building Technologies

Honeywell Building Technologies (HBT) is transforming the way every building operates to help improve the quality of life. We are a leading building controls company with operations in more than 75 countries supported by a global channel partner network. Commercial building owners and operators use our hardware, software and analytics to help create safe, efficient and productive facilities. Our solutions and services are used in more than 10 million buildings worldwide.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com/us/en) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/us/en/news.

Megan McGovern

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