What’s the norm with hand shaking these days?

[Edinburghwaverley]

I’m a professional who visits schools. Pre covid, I used to greet senior leaders and parents with a handshake the first time I met them.

That all stopped of course and now I don’t know whether to start again? I haven’t seen anyone else doing it and nobody has offered me their hand? Suddenly it somehow feels both stuffy and boundary crossing simultaneously! It’s weird. Anyone else gone back to hand shaking?

Anyone? Or maybe this should have gone in chat? Anyone know how to move it?

If nobody else is doing it I wouldn't either, especially if you're not comfortable instigating.

I was at a meeting last week and someone put his hand out to shake mine. It seemed incredibly old fashioned and quite friendly at the same time.

I've noticed it's more of a little bow/bob of head now, rather like a Japanese greeting with a big smile! Not much hand shaking.

I have not returned to hand shaking. Always hated it and hope to continue forever.

This. I hated hand shaking even before Covid and see it as a very 'male' thing anyway.

I used to like it, it used to help me feel less anxious, a little ritual that helped anchor me and helped me feel that I got off on the right foot. I miss it now, but it suddenly doesn’t feel quite right.

Its coming back imo and I also like it. Especially as a woman in a male dominated industry.

I think fist bumps are nice and friendly though probably not with senior leaders!

I would do the Vulcan hand salute if I could but my fingers won’t do it.

I have not returned to it. Even when I would be comfortable, thinking of other people. For context, I add that I wear face coverings in shops and on public transport still. When on public transport will choose to sit nearer to others with face coverings as I would think some of those will feel happier to be near to someone with one than without.

Don't do it. Just a bob of the head if you must. Don't start grabbing people's hands. It was always a gross habit.

I've been shaking hands, didn't know I wasn't meant to.

I agree. I hate touching people I don’t know in any way.
I think the default should be that others feel the same and Covid is still with us so that’s a factor too.

I live in Germany where handshaking is a cultural Imperative . Think every day at least 30 x.
I had my first post Covid handshake last week and it was awful.
I am really hoping there's a shift away from it permanently. Bloody hate touching all those hands!

I’m delighted to not have to touch people or have them touch me. Ew to handshakes. It’s a no from me!

Have been on holiday in Italy and fist bumps seem totally normal here.

Mixed. I used to shake lots of hands at work and it felt really weird when we couldn't do it.

I then went to the Isle of Man late last year where, apart from the fact that they stopped nearly all travel on or off the island, they carried on exactly as if covid wasn't a thing so it felt very strange when the people I had gone to see held out their hands like it was normal. I hadn't done that with anyone for about 18 months.

Some people are doing it now and some not. A couple of weeks ago I went to a work thing where there was some hand shaking, some fist bumping and some awkward waving because we felt like we should do 'something' but not exactly sure what or what other people were comfortable with.

I work in a corporate environment where we're just starting to have in person meetings. I have shaken 2 hands with very senior managers as couldn't quite not do it in such a formal environment but everyone else it's just slightly awkward one wave/ hand up gesture. I would LOVE it if we could do the vulcan salute as pp said, I can do the finger thing!! Can we also use the vulcan death grip for annoying coworkers though?

I’m a professional who visits schools too 😂 and I am not shaking anyone’s hands, uh uh
no thank you. Keep those germs to yourself.