Walking through the grocery store the other day, the first thing I noticed wasn't the fresh produce in aisle one but rather the sea of faces. Faces that were no longer masked. My immediate thought was, 'what a refreshing change it is to see facial expressions,' even if there were some disgruntled ones haggling over the price of onions.

Yet, this uplifting thought was followed by a more complex one - was I the only one who felt relief about the decision to lift the mandatory mask mandate? Looking closer, I could see that some people still had a sense of paranoia over these new developments. So, if my little grocery store could spark a multitude of emotions, I wondered what people going back to the workplace must feel.

Was it relief or paranoia?

Offices are made for interactions, for heated boardroom meetings, and water cooler gossip. However, can these very human behaviors really happen if part of the crowd still clings to Covid-19 protocols and the other doesn't?

Speaking with a few of my clients who have indeed gone back to the 'new normal' at the office, I realized that there are largely two reactions to Maharashtra's decision to say goodbye to masks. There are those who aren't bothered and don't wear a mask anywhere. And then there are those who, even in low-risk environments, insist on wearing a mask.

Two extreme reactions - neither of which make much sense to me personally.

Not surprisingly, the general chatter I've gathered from talking to managers is that they're finding it tricky to find a balance where both sides are happy. Personally, the practical stance to take is to accept that the virus is part of our lives and that we as individuals are responsible for leading a healthy lifestyle while being respectful of others.

The sentiment above is easier said than done. Especially for someone like me, who doesn't have to sit in an office everyday and overhear little jabs such as, "your mask is just a fashion statement," or "please wear a mask if you want to talk to me." These are very real statements that office-goers have to deal with on a daily basis.

Which brings us to the question - how do we find a balance?

Photo by Kyle Austin on Unsplash

While I do not have the answer for us as a collective, since it is such a personal decision - I do have some noteworthy notions. And it stems from where it all began – Covid-19.

The very reason we started wearing masks in the first place was for a primary layer of protection. Because, as is still the case, an asymptomatic or unaware carrier prevents its spread if they put on a mask. Simply put, the virus is still very much around, and the surges/falls in cases change day by day. Therefore, wearing a mask seems like a necessity, but this is where it gets tricky - it's only really effective if everyone else is also wearing it.

In an article by National Geographic, I read recently, I came across a quote from Jaimie Meyer, an infectious disease physician, at Yale Medicine, who said it best.

He says, "It's true that masks are most effective when everyone around you is wearing them. If someone is infected with COVID-19 and doesn't know it, their mask is like putting a thumb over the end of a hose, preventing the virus from spewing."

As offices get fuller by the day, can wearing a mask truly help this hose from spewing? Yes it can, but that's a decision for each individual to make. Whether you're a bachelor, living alone and working in a call center, or a nurse who is going back home to a family every day. These two individuals will mask on or mask off for entirely different reasons.

Thankfully, we now have the freedom to choose.

We humans pride ourselves on free will and choice. And the biggest thing that the revoking of masks has done is give us back that choice. A choice that differs from person to person because each of us leads very different lifestyles outside of the workplace. Having said that, this choice gives us the freedom to make informed decisions, to gauge for ourselves when and where we should wear a mask, if at all.

At this very moment, I feel a sense of relief when I go into a grocery store without a mask. I've weighed the pros and cons and made a choice. However, when I walk into a conference room filled with people I do not know, my choice might be clouded then, and my relief may quickly turn to paranoia.

The point I'm trying to make is that there is no clear answer on whether companies should enforce their own mask mandate. It's very much a case of 'I vs. We,' And each industry and company has different factors to consider. Yet, it's clear to me that I am the only one accountable for my healthy lifestyle. So, with that in mind, my mask-wearing days may (or may not) be behind me.

What I do know is that upper management and we as a society both have a long road to travel when it comes to all the protocols that were put into place in the last two years. As long as we strive to find a balance, have a choice, and make informed decisions - I think we will find that our new normal is filled with both relief and paranoia.