Mask rules could make it harder to get workers back to the office

Making face coverings mandatory at work may deter staff from returning, business leaders warn

THOUSANDS of small firms struggling with the Covid crisis could suffer a crushing blow if masks are made mandatory in the office, business chiefs have warned.

Companies are increasingly fearful that new rules on masks could be imposed as they struggle to bring staff back to work – with many company owners concerned such a move would kill their efforts to restore normality and bring back the daily commute.

The concern comes after France ordered all office workers to wear masks from Tuesday. Secondary schools in Britain are to tell pupils they must cover up in public areas where local lockdowns are in force, sparking fears of a similar order for offices here.

Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Many small businesses have already invested to the tune of thousands in making workplaces safe.

“Any further changes need to be carefully thought through and accompanied by direct financial assistance.

“A blanket rule to impose face masks at all times and on all small firms – rather than having them as one element of various potential measures – risks stifling efforts to get more people back into offices, and the cafés, restaurants and retailers that depend on commuter footfall.”

Data already shows that Britain is lagging behind in the scramble to bring back office workers, with an estimated 50 per cent still doing their jobs from home according to data crunched by Google.

It is feared that many firms will never return to the old nine-to-five model – potentially wrecking the pubs, shops and restaurants in towns and city centres which depend on workers.

If workers are forced to wear a face mask all day, the challenge of restoring normality could be even more severe.

Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors (IOD), said: “There’s no getting round the fact that the prospect of wearing a mask all day could be a tough sell.

“The return to offices is already uncertain, given the challenges involved and the fact that, in many cases, remote working has gone more smoothly than anticipated.”

Mr Cherry also said other measures should be prioritised and called for the Government to step up its contact-tracing programme so there was less risk of Covid circulating widely.

He said: “Face masks are an important tool in the fight against Covid-19 for businesses but there are many others: social distancing of employees, hand sanitiser stations, dividing staff into separate teams and rotating their

‘Any further changes need to be carefully thought through and accompanied by direct financial assistance’

‘There’s no getting round the fact that the prospect of wearing a mask all day could be a tough sell’

office attendance, thoroughly cleaning premises, ensuring fresh air flow and, of course, ensuring staff stay isolated if they have symptoms and follow trackand-trace procedures.”

A flurry of major firms have already delayed plans to return to the office, with finance companies particularly keen to embrace a more permanent form of home working.

Daniel Pinto, head of JP Morgan’s investment banking arm, told CNBC that the company’s 16,000 Uk-based staff will alternate between home working and office-based shifts permanently after the crisis ends.

The fund manager, Schroders, has also offered staff far more flexibility on shifts, and London-based broker Numis told staff in May that Monday to Friday office work would not return in the same guise as before.

Meanwhile, Linklaters, the “magic circle” law firm, told staff worldwide that they would be allowed to spend between 20 per cent and 50 per cent of their time working remotely, with employees who work from the office having more control over shift patterns.

Despite hinting at a similar approach earlier this year, Jes Staley, the Barclays boss, rowed back on comments saying the office could be a thing of the past, as the company vowed to keep its 32-storey London skyscraper.

The IOD warned earlier this week that workers may be unwilling to return to their offices. It said: “Many [employees] will be reluctant to return to the daily grind of commuting.”

The IOD added that it would be an “uphill struggle” for ministers to get staff back to their desks.