Workplace hugs & cheek kissing

[Glitterbomber]

Arrived at a big in person meet up this morning. First one since 2019 - 100 or so professional colleagues.

Absolutely everyone is hugging and cheek kissing.

I don’t remember it being like this before.

Is it just me? Am I socially awkward? 😂

Hate it
find it’s a london thing

It’s not usual behaviour but I have done it with those colleagues that I really get on with when we haven’t seen each other for a while. It’s a spontaneous thing rather than a ‘new thing’ and only has happened on the first face to face meeting rather than continued.

I think lockdown has changed how we view some inter colleague relationships. I know I was so happy to see some colleagues I couldn’t stop myself hugging them, but it has been limited to two colleagues, not all 199+ of them!

It's not just a London thing. I'm in Manchester. Our first team meet up there were some hugs - we're all friends as well as colleagues. But just the once, mind. We're not making a habit of it 😄.

I've only really seen this in offices where i've worked with people for years and we're friends aswell. However I recently went to a work event with DP and the whole lot of them were hugging and cheek kissing. I found it a bit odd, especially as alot of them had only worked there a couple of months and they see each other in the office every day, so wasn't like a grand reunion or anything.
I'm not a huggy/kissy person though with people I don't know, I find it uncomfortable. But I did think this was odd and really over the top. It's great to be friendly, but no I don't want to hug and kiss you all, thanks.

If it was someone I was friendly with and hadn’t need them for ages I’d probably do this. Or a close colleague who was upset about something. But still with you, it’d feel a bit weird at the moment!

I work in a school and will always give colleagues a hug and kiss on the cheek when we leave for the long holiday and the same when we get back. The ones I work closely with I mean, not the whole school! It's considered very normal where I work. We're good friends though so it doesn't feel awkward.

I think this differs based on industry. It is normal in mine to great with hug last and cheek kisses.

I love hugs and cheek kisses with colleagues whom I'm bonded with

I don’t hug people. I don’t like people hugging me. Most my colleagues get is a handshake.

I don't even want a handshake. A nod will suffice if we must have some kind of physical intimacy.

I've worked with most of my colleagues for over 15 years. Never hugged any of them.

I used to have a client in the Netherlands and their employee base were from all over the place so we ended up having to do the double and triple cheek kisses. Until we got to the Irish woman who refused point blank. She was my favourite