Retail Workers during COVID-19: Face Mask Effects on Performance, Productivity, and Perception under Different Workloads

Abstract

Wearing a face mask in public settings has been recommended internationally and made mandatory in some countries after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. It rapidly became the new norm of human interaction. This study investigated how employees in retail stores use facemasks and how smoking habits, workload, and wearing eyeglasses while using masks influence employees. Surveys were distributed to retail employees via emails. Results showed that smoking and workload interaction led significantly to slower motion response, causing itchiness and tightness. More, smokers showed less tolerance to work till the end of the shift and higher body, lip, and cheeks temperature when compared to nonsmokers. The workload was found to have a negative impact on the heat buildup within the mask. Also, vision ability significantly declined while wearing eyeglasses and having the mask on.