Why Are We Still Asked to Remove Our Footwear in Workplaces and Public Places?

Why Are We Still Asked to Remove Our Footwear in Workplaces and Public Places? Over the years, I have noticed a growing trend in many workplaces and even some public places in Kerala: people are expected to remove their sandals before entering. While this practice is understandable in places of worship such as temples, where it is part of religious tradition, I often wonder why the same expectation exists in offices, clinics, and other public spaces. The usual explanation is cleanliness. But does removing footwear alone really make a place hygienic? Employees are often expected to walk barefoot throughout the day, sometimes even to shared washrooms used by staff, visitors, and patients. This raises important questions about hygiene, comfort, and health. Walking barefoot in such environments may expose people to dirt, fungi, bacteria, and other infections. If the objective is to keep floors clean, shouldn’t organizations invest in regular cleaning and maintenance instead of expecting employees to remain barefoot? A clean workplace should be achieved through proper housekeeping, not by shifting the responsibility entirely to employees. Another concern is fairness. In some workplaces, employees are expected to remove their footwear, while managers or senior officials continue to wear shoes inside their private rooms. If removing footwear is truly necessary for hygiene, shouldn’t the same rule apply to everyone, regardless of position? There is also a common assumption that sandals always bring dirt inside. But are our sandals always covered with mud or waste? Most people walk on paved roads and clean surfaces. If footwear is visibly dirty, it should certainly be cleaned before entering. However, expecting everyone to walk barefoot, regardless of the condition of their footwear, does not seem like the only or the best solution. A practical alternative would be to allow clean indoor footwear or dedicated office sandals that are used only inside the building. This would maintain cleanliness while protecting employees' health, comfort, and dignity. This is not an argument against cleanliness or cultural traditions. It is a call to rethink a practice that affects thousands of employees and visitors every day. Clean floors are important. But so are employee well-being, hygiene, fairness, and respect. Perhaps it is time to ask a simple question: Should removing footwear be a compulsory rule in workplaces and public places, or should we adopt cleaner, healthier, and more practical alternatives?