Omicron has workers on edge about returning to the office

Desks at a new Meta office space in the Farley Building in New York, US. Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc and other companies are once again delaying plans to bring employees back to their desks as the omicron variant sweeps through the US. — Bloomberg

Workers grew more uncomfortable about heading back to the office in the first week of the year and were much more likely to consider quitting if their employer demanded they return, a sign that companies’ efforts to get people back amid rising Covid caseloads face stiff resistance.

The share of remote workers who would consider leaving their job if they were asked back to the office before they felt safe rose to 55% as of Jan 6, up from 45% just a week earlier, according to pollster Morning Consult. More than four in 10 workers felt unsure about returning to the office, compared with 35% who said so on Dec 30. People were also less likely to want to attend indoor sporting events, go to the movies and dine out, Morning Consult’s weekly survey found.