90% of Businesses Have Improved Workplace Safety; 41% of Employees Say It's Not Enough

OKLAHOMA CITY, June 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Although the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, according to experts, 41% of workers say companies aren't doing enough to protect them from the virus.

In a May 2020 survey from Express Employment Professionals, 90% of decision makers said their businesses have taken steps to improve overall safety in response to COVID-19.

New safety protocols reported include:

• Monitoring employees' temperatures
• Masks
• Plexiglass dividers between workstations
• 6-foot social distancing markers on floors
• Monthly virus safety training
• Increased building disinfecting
• Continued remote work for employees
• Staggered shifts
• Health screenings

Despite these safety improvements, an Express survey of employees during the same time frame found that only 59% believe their employers have done enough to improve workplace safety.

One job seeker said their company was allowing an infected co-worker to continue working at the facility, but only at night. Another said Lysol had been removed from the building and hand sanitizer dispensers had not been refilled.

"My company has done nothing," added one respondent. "They do not believe the virus is actually happening, so it's not taken seriously."

In one retirement community, an employee said they were only required to wear masks recently, well after the start of the pandemic.

But several other employees praised their company's efforts to keep workers safe:

• "Our office has never been so clean. We allow as much work-from-home as possible, but also maintain a very clean environment at the workplace and with our clients."
• "At-risk employees were supported with additional paid leave during this time. Our hours were changed to minimize customer contact, as well as allowing only so many customers in at a time to help control distance between customers. I commend my company on taking care of their associates, as well as the customers."
• "Providing masks for us. Making sure we are all doing okay during these uncertain times. My company rocks!"
• "The company immediately packed up everyone's computer equipment, let us pick it up, and set us up to work remotely in our homes. Awesome company!"

"There is nothing worth more to a company than the health and reassurance of a safe environment for its workers," Express CEO Bill Stoller said. "June is National Safety Month, and while it looks quite a bit different this year, safety should always be a top priority for every business."

The survey of 297 business leaders and decision makers was conducted in May 2020 through the Express Refresh Leadership blog. The survey of 344 job seekers and employees was conducted in May 2020 through the Express Job Journey blog.

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If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller
William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 825 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, and beginning in 2020 will expand to Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, Express has put more than 8 million people to work worldwide.

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we're in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, our international network of franchises offer localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing 552,000 people across North America in 2019. For more information, visit http://www.ExpressPros.com.

SOURCE Express Employment Professionals