Houston Business Barometer Week 9: Area Companies Look to Reassess Telecom Needs, Office Layout and Size Post-COVID

Published Jun 03, 2020 by A.J. Mistretta

More than half of area companies say they have recalled some or all of their employees who had been working from home back to the workplace in recent weeks, according to the latest survey from the Greater Houston Partnership.

About 11% of those surveyed said they have recalled all of their employees to the worksite and another 40% say they have yet to recall employees who have been working from home.

Twenty-eight percent of the companies that responded to this week’s Houston Business Barometer survey said their firm’s short-term outlook was better this week than last week. Just 4.6% say their outlook is worse this week.

About 28% of respondents said their operations have been severely impacted by the pandemic, the same as last week. Another 34% report a moderate impact on their operations. Roughly 29% said their revenues have declined since their last billing cycle.

Approximately 36% of companies said they had partially or fully reopened their previously shuttered operations in recent weeks, while another 13% of respondents said they had not yet reopened. About half of respondents reported they never halted operations.

Eighty percent of survey participants to this week’s survey say they did not furlough employees during the shutdown. About 8% said they have recalled all or some of their furloughed employees and 12% said they have not yet recalled any furloughed employees.

Asked what elements of their business they might reassess in response to their COVID-19 experience, the top answers among respondents this week were: telecommuting practices, technology needs, office design and the size of their worksites/offices.

A total of 65 companies responded to the 9th Houston Business Barometer survey conducted by the Partnership between June 1 and 2.

See results from Week 8.

Get information and guidelines on reopening businesses safely from the Partnership's Houston Work Safe Program. Visit the Partnership's COVID-19 Resource page for updates, guidance for employers and more information.