Office kissing

[Sunsetintheeast]

I’m not talking snogging here, just the ‘goodbye, happy Christmas’ peck on the cheek that I don’t want from my male work colleagues.

I really don’t wish for my colleagues to invade my personal space.

I told the last one that came swooping in - no thanks I’m avoiding human contact and laughed (but meant it).
AIBU?

@Sunsetintheeast 4???!!!! That’s got to be some kind of human rights violation! You are my people. We should meet. And say an enthusiastic “Hi!” When we do. But not touch.

Your body, your rules

I never used to get hugs or kisses.

I do now - I'm officially old!

Yes, that’s the most effective thing to do - hold up a hand as a stop signal. A nonverbal signal like that is much more effective than words.

We’re great huggers in our office, no kissing or pecking, but we do hugs.

It’s great.

Ha, brilliant 😂Hiiiiiiiiiii

Oh, this has taken a nasty turn! Do you think that’s it?! I’m fucking harmless so can be kisses without fear

I am lucky that I like all the men I work with and they are either gay or happily married so no awkward sexual connotations.

Erm not sure anyone was thinking sexual connotations of a simple hug until you mentioned it🤣

Huggers don’t listen to reasoning.

Exactly, that’s why I’m saying the hand signal works best.

Oh I thought you were being sarcastic 😂

Yeah agreed with a lot of the PPs working for European countries - you have to get used to it!

@Sunsetintheeast It was light-hearted and not serious. There are more important things to get upset about 🙄

😂I was being funny - dry humour … clearly unsuccessfully. I should have added a few 😂

Heck no! 😁 I went on some brilliant training on de-escalation and dealing with workplace threats and aggression. We were taught some of these nonverbal techniques and practised them. So effective.

Could be worse. When I was 17 I landed an internship in an MP’s office. Lots of helping with organising and partaking in social events. It wasn’t something I was raised around, and I didn’t get the concept of ‘air kissing’. I spend a whole year proper pecking old men on each cheek before I realised.

Hugs or kisses at work, just no. Surprised it happens in your office. I hug or kiss my husband, daughters and grandchildren, no desire to hug or kiss anyone else.

I'm not touchy feely with colleagues, no.

My drunken gay colleague tried to give me a lap dance several hours into our Christmas do - very much not appreciated.

The whole upside of Covid was no more of this endless hugging and kissing, I thought.