11.04.21
Unvaccinated Likely to Face Professional Headwinds According to Seven Letter / Boston Business Journal Poll
BOSTON, MA – (November 4, 2021) – Seven Letter, a bipartisan, full-service strategic communications firm with offices in Boston and Washington, in partnership with the Boston Business Journal, released the results of a poll of Boston business leaders today. The survey of just over 400 respondents from within the Boston business community provides clear insight into professionals’ support for vaccine mandates in the workplace and opinions about unvaccinated coworkers.
More than three quarters of respondents (77%) said that they would prefer to work at a company with a vaccine mandate. Furthermore, nearly three quarters (72%) said that they would give up casual Fridays in exchange for a vaccine mandate.
When compared to other long-standing safety measures widely adopted by companies, vaccine mandates come out on top as well, with 65% saying that a vaccine mandate would make them feel ‘much more safe’ in the workplace, compared to 53% responding similarly regarding a fire escape plan, and 38% in response to an active shooter protocol.
Finally, the poll shows that unvaccinated colleagues may be met with resistance or hesitation from co-workers when it comes to collaboration. Nearly three quarters (73%) indicated that they would be ‘less likely’ to collaborate with a respected colleague if they were to learn that individual was unvaccinated.
“Today’s findings provide a glimpse into the priorities of Boston business leaders as they continue to consider the best next steps regarding pandemic safety,” said Seven Letter partner and head of research, Matt George. “The intensity of the support felt for mandates amongst this population is overwhelming, and, according to our data, that could translate into fewer opportunities for collaboration between unvaccinated and vaccinated team members.”
“With so many polls conducted within the general population regarding COVID protocols, we were interested to get an accurate read on Boston’s business community and how they are thinking about vaccine mandates in the workplace,” said Doug Banks, Executive Editor of the Boston Business Journal. “We’re excited about the partnership with Seven Letter and look forward to more opportunities to provide this type of insightful analysis.”
Today’s poll is the first in what will likely be a series of collaborative polls between the Boston Business Journal and Seven Letter targeting the perceptions and opinions of Boston business leaders.
Seven Letter is a full-service strategic communications firm with specialties in crisis communications, corporate communications, creative content development, brand and reputation management, public affairs, digital strategy and grasstops/grassroots mobilization. In 2019, Seven Letter launched Seven Letter Labs, expanding and enhancing its digital strategy services. The firm’s 2020 merger with the communications practice of Boston-based O’Neill and Associates expanded the firm’s geographic footprint, its team and reach. In 2020, Seven Letter launched Seven Letter Insight, an opinion and messaging research offering. Seven Letter was named to the 2020 PR News Agency Elite Top 100 and is a multi-year “PR News Top Places to Work” award winner, with senior leaders of the firm also receiving awards for industry excellence from PR Week, PR News and other outlets.
For more information on Seven Letter, including staff bios, please visit the firm’s website or follow the firm on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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