If you’ve been lucky enough to keep your job during the pandemic, working from home has probably been a bit of an adjustment. Finding a comfortable chair to work from, maintaining a reasonable level of productivity and making sure you’re not doing too much unpaid overtime are fresh challenges that many of us have faced since March.
Though the government is increasingly keen for people to return to their workplace where possible for the sake of economy, the British public isn’t quite so convinced yet. According to new research conducted by King’s College London, 86% of people would find it “acceptable” for employees to choose whether to continue working from home or not until a coronavirus vaccine is found.
Until a vaccine is found, people are pretty split as to whether the government should be able to tell us to return to the workplace. While 47% said they would accept this instruction from the government, 39% said they would not.
Professor Bobby Duffy of King’s College London said the results suggest that “the government may have more to do if it’s to convince people they should return to their workplace” before a vaccine is found.
Interestingly, the research also found that nearly half of people (46%) believe that young people should be subject to fewer lockdown restrictions because they’re less susceptible to COVID-19.
However, across the population as a whole, the study found that there is growing support for local lockdowns like the one in Greater Manchester – even if they’re imposed on a long-term basis.
Professor Duffy said: “The public are more convinced of the need for local lockdowns, with nearly nine in 10 saying they’d accept them being imposed for the foreseeable future, including on their own local area, while seven in 10 would accept a similarly long ban on live events, reflecting the extent to which people are still prioritising public health over the economy and their own social lives.”
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