Part 1: Return to the Office Series - Predicting the Return to the Office

AMERICAS: U.S.

THE STATE OF VACCINATION MANDATES Organizations have grown more willing to mandate employees to be vaccinated. According to Barron’s, one-fourth of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Index have mandated vaccines for workers. 6 This is in line with Cushman & Wakefield Research’s broader tracking of 130 larger companies, among which 32% had mandated vaccines for employees as of mid-September. Additionally, 30% of respondents to an August 2021 CoreNet Global survey say their companies will require vaccinations before employees can return to work. 7 These surveys were all conducted prior to President Biden’s announcement on September 9, 2021 that companies with more than 100 employees need to mandate that their workers get vaccinated or face weekly testing, which is likely to push vaccination rates higher. Moreover, company mandates are likely to continue to increase now that one of the vaccines was granted full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 23, 2021. 8 The other two vaccines are in process and could receive full approval this fall. Many unvaccinated individuals also have indicated that they would be more inclined to get a vaccine once it is fully approved, 9 which could push up vaccination rates regardless of employer pressure.

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