Do you touch your coworkers?

[Anonymous]

NEVER. Not acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hell no. Other than professional handshakes, touching is inappropriate in my line of work.

What is your line of work?

[Anonymous]

Only with people I work closely with and in big situations, like retirement, when they leave the company, when they come back after a death in the immediate family, etc.

[Anonymous]

No, yuck. I don’t like being touched outside of work by most people, even close friends (who respect this boundary). Just not a hugger/toucher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work at a huggy work place. Men and women hug each other, we hug certain long time clients and partners. I hate it. It makes every greeting awkward - is this someone I’m supposed to hug? Is it weird if I just stick out my hand? If I know you well but my junior colleague has only met you twice, should she hug you too? It’s great that there’s camaraderie but wish we could all just shake hands.

Other than the hugging, luckily touch is pretty minimal, though it wouldn’t be out of the norm for someone of either gender to put hands on someone’s shoulders if trying to move by them in a close space or pluck a string off someone’s sleeve.

+1
I'm female and I hug now that everyone has been remote and the get-togethers are rare. It does not feel weird.
I'm also an arm toucher.
I'm also a total introvert and anxious. Am I doing it all wrong?
eek.

Yes. I would stop this ASAP as it's not professional.

[Anonymous]

Don't hug coworkers. Period.

[Anonymous]

I used to touch on the arm sometimes or hug when it was appropriate, mostly females. Then, my husband said when people touch him at all at work he's uncomfortable, which made me stop dead in my tracks. I haven't so much as touched a coworker with more than a handshake in 6 years.

[Anonymous]

Arm touching feels creepier than hugging, maybe because I used to work with an arm toucher with fake nails who would dig her claws into your forearm if she was excited about something.

[Anonymous]

No

[Anonymous]

I'm 60 and a guy. I occasionally shake someone's hand but I can't remember the last time I did an arm touch, back slap or hug. We used to smoke and drink in the office, too, but all those things were a long time ago.

[Anonymous]

Female here. I've been in my field for a long time and work with non creepy people. I will hug if we haven't seen each other in a long time or if the person is retiring.

You know your work place.

[Anonymous]

I hugged a male once and regretted it afterwards. I was having a moment and he was there, what can I say. We are human.

[Anonymous]

Physical touch is my love language, but I don't like hugs at work or with people I don't know well. I'm also a femme lesbian, so I don't want to get anything misconstrued.

[Anonymous]

My Midwestern colleagues are very huggy. I've never touched my DC colleagues

[Anonymous]

Touch them? Never! I rarely even make eye contact with them.