You are correct that masks are not 100% effective, but is still better than wearing no mask at all. I understand that people don't like wearing a mask, but what other choices do you have? You can simply refuse to work in that environment. Can you get away with refusing to work there?
I know what I would do. I would simply refuse to work in such an environment. If you HAVE to work there, then a surgical mask AND Colloidal Silver is your best defense.
The wife & I like to travel on Tour Busses, and we face a similar problem. People on these tour busses are sickly, coughing their brains out and giving their diseases to everyone on the bus. Tour busses are as bad as sickly infirmaries ! We take Colloidal Silver to protect ourselves.