More than half of employees are still hesitant to head back into the office, and this could mean some work for companies to create environments that will attract workers out of their homes. A new survey, which included responses from business decision-makers, HR and IT, from Smartway2, a workspace scheduling solutions platform, looked into the worker concerns about health, safety and flexibility, and it found that 44% of employees are still concerned about returning to the office. To get employees back into the office, companies will need to focus on health and safety plans, and for the near future, they will have to remain flexible with work schedules and models.

Health risks are the biggest concern for employees. The survey found that 83% of employees are concerned about health risks while another 27% of employees are concerned about employee noncompliance with outlined safety procedures. These fears were particularly prevalent for employees that work in collaborative environments that require routine interaction with coworkers.

Flexibility was another top concern for employees. Remote working models have given employees more flexibility to be with family or develop a better work-life balance. Parents with children on remote work schedules are also in a difficult position to return to a regular work environment.