Melbourne business owner says mask mandate is ‘inconvenient and demotivating’ for workers

Workers have been left feeling resentful and unhappy over Victoria’s mask mandate, with a Melbourne business owner claiming the rule doesn’t make sense. 

Victoria’s mask mandate is causing “resentment and unhappiness” for hospitality and retail workers, according to a Melbourne business owner.

Hash Tayeh, the founder and chief executive of burger chain Burgertory, said the requirement has had a major and negative impact on his staff.

“I think it’s extremely inconvenient and demotivating. Staff don’t understand why they need to wear masks when customers don’t have to wear masks and there’s no more social distancing requirements,” Mr. Tayeh said.

‘As their employer, they ask us to make sense of it and honestly we can’t.”

Burgertory founder Hash Tayeh says he and his staff are struggling to make sense of the mask mandate for hospitality and retail workers. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Mr Tayeh said those making the rules don’t know what it’s like to work in a 50-degree kitchen.

“They don’t actually know the difficulties of working in a kitchen on a hot day with a mask,” he said.

But the impact goes beyond the grill, with Mr Tayeh claiming his business has received complaints of poor customer service stemming from the mandate.

“A lot of customer service is being able to smile and greet your customers,” he said.

“Sometimes you’ve got instances where customers think the staff are giving them poor customer service … but the fact is a lot of the service is in the smile.”

The mask mandate has led to complaints of poor customer service at Burgertory. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

It comes as three of Victoria’s main business lobby groups have banded together, demanding the mask mandate to end for hospitality and retail workers.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce chief executive Paul Guerra told the Herald Sun on Thursday if the mandate was not lifted, staff would head to other industries where masks are not required.

Similar sentiments are shared by the Australian Retailers Association and Australian Hotels Association, with Australian Retailers chief executive Paul Zahra saying “it doesn’t make sense for Victoria to have the mask rules”.

Victoria is the only eastern seaboard state where shop, bar and restaurant workers are still required to wear masks. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

But an infectious diseases expert has questioned the need for immediate change, as the state prepares to deal with the Covid-19 Omicron BA. 2 sub-variant.

Mater Health Services director of infectious diseases Paul Griffin told 3AW on Thursday while Covid-19 restrictions should not continue “a moment longer than they’re needed”, now was a “tricky” time to lift them.

“The timing right now is a little bit tricky to remove them (the mask mandates); I think we perhaps could have a few weeks ago,” Mr Griffin said.

“Right now it might be good just to wait a few more days or a week or two just to see what happens with BA.2.”

Originally published as Melbourne business owner says mask mandate is ‘inconvenient and demotivating’ for workers