Majority of employees support compulsory Covid vaccine – but CEO urges caution

More than half of Australian workers would support an employer-led mandate requiring their organisation's employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to new research.

The finding forms part of the latest Employee Sentiment Index released by ELMO Software, partner of this year’s HR Tech Summit, which reveals powerful insight into how workers feel about Australia’s vaccination rollout, as well as levels of job security and burnout.

The research, carried out in June this year before Sydney’s latest outbreak, found that of the 1,039 workers surveyed in Australia, 62% support compulsory vaccinations, a figure ELMO Software CEO Danny Lessem described as ‘extraordinary’. Speaking to HRD, Lessem said the research highlighted that the COVID-19 vaccine and uncertainty over the success of Australia’s rollout is having a significant impact on employee mental health.

“We’ve certainly seen heightened anxiety about the virus, the vaccine rollout and working in a Covid environment,” he said. “What we're getting out of this is that there really needs to be a focus by employers on consulting with their employees and perhaps adjusting their policies to deal with the underlying factors behind that anxiety.

“It’s important to remember that the research was conducted before the current lockdown, so what we would assume to see from our next quarterly survey is an enormous impact on people's views [about the vaccine] as they’re sitting in lockdown.”

Read more: National cabinet agrees mandatory COVID-19 vaccine for agedcare workers

Last month, the National Cabinet agreed to implement a vaccine mandate for all residential agedcare workers. By September 17, employees will be required to have had at least one dose to continue in their role. Similar health orders are in place for hotel quarantine workers in NSW and Western Australia, and for healthcare employees in Queensland.

Airline companies, including Qantas and Virgin Australia, have also called for the government to mandate vaccinations for the country’s aviation workers. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said a Federal Government ruling is the only way to avoid a patchwork of state-enforced regulations for workers who travel across the country multiple times a day.

While ELMO’s research showed the majority support mandatory vaccines, Lessem urged caution from business leaders. With 38% of respondents against a mandate, the risk of alienating a significant proportion of the workforce remains high. The results simply reinforce that like many of the issues thrown up by the pandemic, the vaccine is highly divisive. As a result, employers and HR leaders will have to navigate a tricky path as they try to prepare employees for life after lockdowns.

State and federal leaders have now committed to reopening the country without the threat of restrictions once vaccination rates are high enough. Lessem said this prospect of living and working with the threat of the virus still present is adding to increased anxiety among workers. In contrast, the Employee Sentiment Index of workers in New Zealand found far greater stability across levels of job security, anxiety and burnout.

“There hasn't been the same deterioration between Q1 and Q2 that there has been in Australia and we put that down to the government’s unified approach, and the lack of border closures and lockdowns there,” he said.

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Just over three quarters of those surveyed said they believe the economy will only return to normal if vaccine uptake is successful, but just two in five (41%) workers believe Australia’s rollout is on track. The Index also indicated that HR leaders may face a divided workforce in future, with almost half of employees (44%) feeling uncomfortable about returning to the office if their colleagues are unvaccinated.

So how can HR leaders help to alleviate COVID-related anxiety? Lessem said firstly, businesses should consult with staff to gauge where they sit on things like returning to the office. Using feedback and data from both the wider industry and employees themselves will enable businesses to take a nuanced approach to keeping their staff safe.

“I think the outcomes will be really clear for the employees themselves but also for the commercial outcomes of businesses that are cognizant of the fears and anxieties within their workforce,” he said.

“Communicating effectively in terms of the strategy and economic wellbeing of a business is also important. If the business is well capitalised or is doing well, employees need to know that to help them rest easy in terms of job security. So, communication, feedback, and then real policy nuancing within the business will help with employee wellbeing and better economic outcomes.”

ELMO Software is a principal partner of the HR Tech Summit Australia and New Zealand, being held virtually later this year. Click here to view the event agenda, speakers and register for your spot.