UK 
United States
This week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that further measures were needed to stem the resurgence of coronavirus within the UK. The news came as cases rose to levels seen only in early summer, evidencing that at least for the foreseeable future, COVID-19 continues to be an ongoing issue for HR.
A key concern, along with ensuring that those returning to workplaces are safe, has been to manage the mental wellbeing of employees. However, a new study from Mitrefinch found that professional anxiety rose by 4,000% among Brits throughout the early stages of lockdown.
The study, which was compiled to align with World Mental Health Day, analysed Google search data over the course of March to June, when workers were reportedly most concerned about the shifting Government guidelines for professionals.
It discovered that UK searches for the term ‘do I have to go back to work?’ rose by 4,000% over this period, suggesting that for many people returning to the office was a daunting prospect.
The study also found that many workers openly self-identified their fears of returning to the workplace as well as demanding clarification on safety measures, with searches for the following terms rising significantly throughout lockdown:
‘Do I have to go back to work?’ - 4,000% increase
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