• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026

1

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
HealthCoronavirus

What do workers fear most about going back to the office? Each other

By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Z. Morris
David Z. Morris
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 26, 2020, 6:00 AM ET

Subscribe to How to Reopen, our weekly newsletter on what it takes to reboot business in the midst of a pandemic.

As coronavirus lockdowns begin to ease, the biggest fear among white-collar workers in the U.S. about returning to the office is their coworkers’ behavior, according to a new survey shared exclusively with Fortune.

Controlling employees’ behavior—including when they’re not in the office at all—is a thorny challenge. Workers may also be concerned about one another’s willingness to keep physical distance in the office, or to stay home if they feel sick.

“If your colleague is behaving in way that’s silly, they’re going to underground parties at night, that’s scary,” says Jamie Hodari, CEO of Industrious, an office space operator, which conducted the survey in partnership with the polling and data company Elucd.

Approximately 37% of office-going adults said that, when thinking about returning to the office, they are most concerned that “others in my office will behave in a way that puts me in danger.” By contrast, just 19% of respondents cited lax measures by their employer as their biggest concern about returning. Eleven percent were most worried about productivity under new health restrictions, and 8% were most concerned about the safety of their commute.

But a little more than a fourth of survey respondents (26%)—the second-largest group of respondents—said they had no concerns at all about returning to the office.

The results cast new light on the discourse around returning to the workplace during the coronavirus pandemic. Much of that has understandably focused on elements that employers and building operators can control, such as enhanced cleaning protocols, building ventilation, and redesigning offices to keep distance between workers.

“Some of this depends on density,” says Hodari, “But a lot of it depends on the way people behave and comply with protocols or not.”

Despite that anxiety, the survey found most workers are amenable to getting back to the office. Sixty percent of respondents said they were likely or very likely to return to the office when they had the option to do so.

The survey did find deviations between office workers in different circumstances. Above all, those who commute using public transit are substantially more hesitant to return to work than those who do not. Only 34% of public transit commuters said they were “very likely” to return to work when offices reopen, compared with 48% of non-transit commuters.

Office workers with kids at home were slightly more likely to want to get back to the office than those without kids: 48% of parents said they were “very likely” to return when offices reopened, compared with 45% of those without kids.

Hodari says the results highlight the diverse situations faced by workers as well as the need for flexibility from employers. “I really hope that most American businesses approach this as a question of employee choice,” he says. “There are going to be employees who live two blocks from the office and have no concerns, and there will be employees who can barely get their work done if you force them to come into the office, because they’re going to be riddled with anxiety and fear.”

The survey is the inaugural edition of a new data-gathering project called Workstat. The collaboration between Industrious and Elucd will conduct weekly surveys with an evolving set of questions about workers’ attitudes toward their workplace.

The current survey covers responses from 745 U.S. adults who worked in offices prior to the coronavirus crisis, weighted by demographic factors including age and race.

About the Author
By David Z. Morris
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

arms
HealthPsychology
You probably think you’re a really open-minded person, but the real thing raises your death anxiety
By Daryl Van Tongeren and The ConversationJune 12, 2026
13 hours ago
AI was supposed to cut health care costs. One of its first jobs was charging you more, PwC report shows
AIHealth Care Service
AI was supposed to cut health care costs. One of its first jobs was charging you more, PwC report shows
By Whizy Kim and Tech BrewJune 12, 2026
14 hours ago
Plunge All-in Cold Plunge Review (2026): Expert Tested
HealthDietary Supplements
Plunge All-in Cold Plunge Review (2026): Expert Tested
By Christina SnyderJune 12, 2026
16 hours ago
Redwood Outdoors Duo Sauna Review (2026): Our Honest Experience
HealthDietary Supplements
Redwood Outdoors Duo Sauna Review (2026): Our Honest Experience
By Emily PharesJune 12, 2026
18 hours ago
A person holds an iPhone as someone next to them points at the screen.
EconomyApple iPhone
You can blame America’s plummeting fertility rate on the iPhone, study finds: ‘People are all depressed and alone and doomscrolling’
By Sasha RogelbergJune 12, 2026
1 day ago
fda
HealthTobacco
Why is the FDA approving kid-friendly, fruit-flavored e-cigarettes?
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressJune 12, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
Investing
When SpaceX starts trading, some 'shareholders' will discover they own nothing at all
By Jim EdwardsJune 12, 2026
22 hours ago
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
Environment
Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back
By Catherina GioinoJune 9, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 12, 2026
19 hours ago
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
Success
American taxpayers have spent $33 billion on sports stadiums. They got fewer seats—and higher prices
By Catherina GioinoJune 11, 2026
2 days ago
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 11, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 11, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.