Reach Out and Touch Someone:
Think Twice!

...Touching in the workplace is a “touchy” subject. Every person has his or her own rules for touching. It usually revolves around their relationship with the other person and personal preference and comfort level. And we know some workplaces have a culture where people are greeted by hugs and touching is a norm.
...But what if a person doesn’t want to be hugged or touched? How about a manager who abuses their power by touching employees? Touch is usually a variable that is acted out from the top down; that is, a manager may feel they have the license to touch employees because of their “title” and position. An employee will think twice about initiating touch with a manager.
...It is also important to consider the different types of touch. The range may be from the pat on the back to the sexual shoulder rub! There are “zones” of the body that are strictly off limits! About half the sexual harassment cases I have served as a consultant or expert witness have involved inappropriate touching! Unfortunately, a few people have ruined for many. Now it is important to think twice before touching another person.

We should be aware that some folks go along to get along! They feel uncomfortable with the touch but don’t want to say anything for various reasons (don’t want to rock the boat, don’t want to hurt the person’s feelings, dislike confrontation, etc.).