Wearing a mask in business, not easy for everyone to bear

Paris, 09/01/2020.

At OpenClassRooms, wearing a mask is mandatory as in other companies.

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• The health rules that came into force on September 1 generalize the systematic wearing of masks in offices to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

• A measure that reassures some employees, but that others find it difficult to accept.

  Because wearing a mask is quite uncomfortable for them.

• The instructions do not seem to be respected by all with the same rigor, which generates internal tensions.

No more knowing smiles in the cafeteria or low masses in meetings.

Corridors, changing rooms, meeting rooms and now open spaces: the health rules that came into force on September 1 generalize the systematic wearing of masks in offices to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Until then, the “deconfinement” protocol of June 24 only required it when the distance of one meter was not respected between workstations.

This measure was decided on because of the rebound in the coronavirus epidemic and because among the 1,255 clusters identified in the latest Public Health France scorecard, 29% occurred in companies.

An obligation that is welcomed by 70% of French people in a YouGov poll carried out on August 31 and September 1 for HuffPost.

And by some of our readers like Mathias, who answered our call for witnesses: “Working in the mass distribution sector, the general obligation to wear a mask has been a relief.

You get used to it.

It's like wearing glasses.

At first, it itches and gets in the way, afterwards we even manage to forget that we are wearing it.

It has become part of the work dress ”.

Ditto for Gérard, Aesh (formerly known as AVS): “I am absolutely not bothered by wearing a mask, on the contrary!

I feel reassured to wear it.

Mainly working with students all day.

As for Sandrine, she decided to make the situation more positive: "For fun, I made a fashion accessory and I match my masks to my outfits, especially when I go to the office".

"Fogging on glasses is painful"

But some employees question the usefulness of wearing a mask in business, such as Cédric: “Most employees see each other at coffee breaks or eat together at a restaurant.

So what's the use then of wearing it in front of your screen when the colleague is two or three meters away?

And when we sat in front of him for more than an hour in the restaurant!

He wonders.

Under the mask, some grimace, like Laure: “It gets hot, I have patches on my face after only three days of use.

The fog on the glasses is painful ”.

Same feeling of discomfort with Matt: “The problem with the mask is the moisture that accumulates around the mouth.

And since this rule, I sometimes have a headache at night ”.

Caution, she complains of "the heat under the mask".

“The elastic band is painful behind the ears,” adds Aurore.

"End of facial expressions, end of human relations"

This little piece of cloth is also accused of damaging working relationships: “With customers all day on the phone, it's really complicated.

We have trouble breathing, we are more stressed, customers misunderstand us and we get angry quickly, ”admits Priscillia.

And the "

"

spirit

takes a hit in some companies, like that of Cédric: "Many people do not talk to each other in the corridors, the exchanges just go by email", he laments.

The same goes for Suzanne: “Relations between coworkers are getting colder.

By dint of not seeing faces, of not smiling, of not hearing what others are saying ”.

With the mask, no more facial expressions that were better than a long speech, notes Fiona: "We sometimes have trouble making ourselves understood through speech, or even at the level of emotions, we no longer know how our interlocutor interpret our words ”.

Bénédicte's conclusion is clear: "End of facial expressions, end of human relations".

The atmosphere having cooled a little, some do not want to linger at work: "I now stay at home most of the time to avoid that, even if it is small to telework," says Florent.

Same reflex for Valérie: “Since September 1, I only come on site on Fridays.

Telecommuting is not my favorite thing, but wearing a mask all day doesn't make me happy either, ”she explains.

"Management asks us to" balance "those who do not follow the instructions"

In some clubs, the mask has also become an object of contention, between the defenders of its port and those who circumvent the rule.

Sophie being part of the first camp: "I am tired of being the" sad sire "who reminds the rules and the only one to have wanted to respect the obligation".

Just like Béri: “I try to scrupulously respect the wearing of a mask and it is difficult for me to see more and more people not paying attention.

Because they do not realize that it is not only their health that they risk, but also that of many others.

Much remains to be done for this to become an unchallenged automatism for reasons of "comfort" or false belief, "she sighs.

In Gaëlle's club too, the confits around the mask are not far away: “On September 1, everyone played along and from September 2, it was rubbish.

Absence of mask at his post and / or when moving, even from the management.

It's all the more annoying since we just had a case of Covid-19 on the premises!

It's only been three days and it creates tensions between employees, ”she emphasizes.

For people at risk of Covid-19 like Sophie, the non-respect of the mask in business by others arouses anger and concern: “The mask is often worn under the nose, on the chin and placed in a mustache for many of my people. colleagues.

And they take off their masks during lunch ”.

And if most of the time, managers set an example in terms of wearing a mask, sometimes this is not the case, as Emilie points out: "Our management has clearly told us" it is compulsory but we do not 'will impose on anyone, everyone does as they see fit ".

So we find ourselves with a few people wearing it all day (outside our individual offices) and the others roaming around in peace ”.

Conversely, some employers encourage their employees to denounce bad behavior "Management asks us to 'balance' those who do not follow the instructions", testifies Georges.

Good atmosphere guaranteed!

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