Since this Monday morning, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory in the workplace. Between vigilance and enthusiasm, employees remain mostly satisfied, despite the epidemic rebound.
“I’m happy, it will allow us to find more convivial and pleasant moments with the people we meet every day.“says Sylvie, employee of a large insurance company, crossed on the forecourt of the business district of La Défense. Since this Monday morning, the mask falls in companies. Even coffee breaks or farewell drinks can be done with their faces uncovered. Almost two years to the day after the establishment of the first confinement in France linked to the Covid-19 epidemic, the government has decided. Labor Minister Élisabeth Borne announced it last Tuesday, including the end of the company health protocol.
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After some 18 months of wearing a mask in the workplace – it had been compulsory since September 1, 2020 -, the decision arouses enthusiasm but also skepticism among these employees encountered at La Défense and in the business district of Issy- Val de Seine.
The return of conviviality
“I was waiting impatiently for this announcement.“, proclaims Fabien *, IT executive at La Défense. With the outbreak of the Omicron variant in January, corporate rules had indeed tightened, causing the return of teleworking at least 3 days a week. A blow for many employees, for whom the massive deployment of vaccination hinted at a lasting end to the crisis and a return to normal life at work.
“I am going to discover a good part of the people of the company today”
Mourad, employee of an audiovisual media.
“ I am very enthusiastic. This measure comes at the right sanitary moment, when the virus is less and less serious», Estimates François *, 39 years old and bank employee. A measure that will finally make it possible to lift the mask on many faces, as underlined by Mourad, employee of an audiovisual media who arrived in the company less than a year ago: “There are a lot of people that I have never seen face to face. I will discover today a good part of the people of the company“.
“Electoral Considerations”
However, this measure is not unanimously welcomed by all employees. “I’m really against (…) I think it comes at the wrong time, contamination is on the rise. For me, this is based above all on electoral considerations rather than on real health arguments.says Raymond, a telecommunications employee.
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The government indeed seems to be going in the direction of the majority of the population: 71% of French people would be in favor of lifting the vaccination pass, according to an IFOP poll. “ I finally think that the government is adapting to a de facto situation, where people are less and less careful about barrier gestures and that after two years of constraints, it was necessary to let go of some ballast.», continues Sylvie.
Vigilance
Despite this lifting, caution is still required within many companies, as explained by Thierry*, HRD of a large telecommunications group: “We will always continue to communicate massively on barrier gestures and distribute masks.“. However, he emphasizes that the company will not impose its port. “If my employer recommends that I wear the mask but the law does not require me to, I will not wear itsays Quentin, an employee of an American computer company.
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In a context of slight epidemic rebound with a 35% increase in cases since March 6, Arnaud Fontanet, epidemiologist at the Scientific Council, nevertheless recommends keeping the mask on. “We are still in a period where the climate is conducive to the circulation of the virus“, he believes. For many, it is above all a “oxygen bubble in a very anxiety-provoking moment“, continues François *, while the media news is dominated by the war in Ukraine. “I’m happy, the offices will be a bit more populated and it will be more pleasant to go to workconcludes Quentin.
*The first names have been changed.