Covid-19 produced a temporary shift in workplace behavior where someone could get by without the unavoidable common pleasantries synonymous with office culture. You see them coming from a mile away. A colleague you haven't seen in a while, or perhaps one you saw as recent as this morning, coming from the opposite direction and walking straight toward you. By all accounts, this individual is actually a really nice person with a pleasant personality but it's also flu and cold season, and quite frankly, you see absolutely no need for the germs of everyone else in the office to be get smothered onto your hand for the sake of common courtesy. To complicate the situation, you just left the restroom where, after washing your hands with you soap, you managed to slip out of the door as someone else entered so you didn't even touch the door handle. Yes, your hands are clean and will remain as such for as long as possible.
It's a bit more than unsettling to find that anyone could think it's appropriate to make any sort of contactual greeting with you – a handshake, high-five, fist bump, or whatever the method – as they leave the restroom. There's something sobering about the echoing of an industrial grade lavatory as it flushes away gallons of water in seconds – the same length of time it takes for an individual to fake-wash their hands and dispense a square of paper towel.
If the above resonates with you then it means you search for ways out of these situations. Here are some of the ways to prevent the spread of germs by limiting physical contact.
The Preemptive Fist Bump
Though physical contact probably isn't your thing, this technique minimizes the surface area and duration if any sort of touch must be made. If someone raises their to attempt an unwanted handshake or high-five, hold out your fist to meet them. While it's difficult to calculate the probability of outcomes, only a handful things will happen: 1) A standoff - where neither party changes their posture and situation ends with nothing taking place. This would serve your primary goal. 2) Awkward fist-shake - there's the possibility of a scenario where the would-be handshaker takes hold of your clenched fist and moves it up and down. This would put the germs on the outer portion of your hand which, in some cases, could be worse than a normal handshake. 3) Fist bump - the more likely outcome is for the two of you to engage in a fist bump. For your purposes, this is better than an all-out handshake and could set the standard for any future contact.
The Gross-Out:
Consider how unsettling it would be for you to witness someone cough or sneeze into their hands if even you had yours extended for them. This method provides an opportunity for the person initiating the contact to retract their offer. In this case there would be no harm and no foul. You could even state that you the obvious which is that you just coughed in your hand and would prefer not to transfer any germs to them. Most people would be grateful to hear this and for those who would come away offended, this may liberate you from any unwanted gestures down the road.
The Opt-Out
Sometimes, the most effective way to handle an uncomfortable situation is to be direct, even it complicates matters or makes them awkward. In the case of a handshake or other unwanted physical greeting, it is appropriate to simply decline. You may need to explain your reasoning if your intention is not to offend. At times, there may be an opportunity to leave the other person hanging by simply ignoring the gesture or acting as if you didn't see it but this will not work for every situation.
It's important to remember that not everyone is comfortable with physical contact, especially after a worldwide pandemic interrupted the way people interact. Before reaching out to touch someone it's worth considering whether or not they wish to partake in the gesture. Do you part in order to support office health and safety.
