With crime rates rising in big cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago and more, there is a growing concern among workers about returning to their offices. 

What’s Causing the Scare?

In New York City on Tuesday April 12, a shooting occurred on the subway leaving a Goldman Sachs employee dead, and ten others wounded.  Following the tragic incident, Goldman Sachs chief executive, David Solomon, began receiving concerned emails from staff about returning to work. The staff of Goldman Sachs along with the general public of the city are sharing their growing concerns about the safety and quality of life in the city deteriorating. Major crime rates in New York City have risen by 7.5% from 2019 to 2021, and don’t seem to be falling.

Regular Life vs. Business Life During the Pandemic

More than two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, life has been returning to normal in sporting events, restaurants, airlines and other places except for one major outlier: work offices. Reports show that after many employers have offered hybrid options, less than half of pre-pandemic office workers are returning to office. The concentration of the problem lies in America’s largest cities. The U.S. hit a pandemic-era high of 44% returning to offices in June however, the major cities are still lagging behind. 

The Effects on Business

The apparent lack of workers returning to office has created a sense of urgency among business owners and politicians. Between April of 2020 to March of 2021, over twenty six thousand New York City small businesses shut down business permanently. New York City’s available office space has risen from 90 to 125 million square feet in that time as well. Between crime rate increase, gas prices rising, and ongoing Covid-19 scares, workers are reluctant to return to their daily work commute. As companies have adopted an online focus, competition has also expanded around the world, not just within the local market. Many executives were hopeful in their back-to-the-office efforts. However, the recent shooting and general crime increase had posed a setback. Thousands of small businesses are struggling to keep doors open as workers are staying at home. 

What Plans are in Place to Fix the Issue?

Employers around the world are making efforts to get their employees back in office. With the increase in gas prices, some employers are offering alternate transportation or gas money on top of regular pay. Another way they are attempting to lure employees back is through upgrading the workspace. Creating a better environment that employees would be happy to come back to through lighting upgrades, filtered air, and even free lunches has become one of the main strategies. Lastly, many New York executives are standing up for tougher measures on crime in order to help their workers along with the general public to feel safer. 

The U.S. along with the whole world has felt the effects of Covid-19; the workplace.