Hugging a coworker may sound very innocent, but after talking to some of my coworkers there are more factors than we think when it comes to hugging at work. A simple "Yes it's fine" or "No it's not" just doesn't suffice. I started with my female coworkers and they gave me a pretty simple answer. I should note, the ladies who I work with are outgoing, with a good sense of humor and our workplace is very casual. The answer was simple for them. They said, "Yes it's fine depending on the situation and on the friendship,". Outside of work, definitely. Hugging coworkers of the same sex was also a simple answer: Yes it is ok if they are ok with it.
For women, the majority believes that hugging is a non issue between another coworker of the same sex, however, you can't always make that assumption, some of my coworkers don't feel it's ok to hug at work at all.
How do men feel?
Again, I should note that my workplace is very casual and for the most part we are a tight bunch, but my male coworkers do take hugging rules seriously, and that's not a bad thing. To start with, out of ten of them only one answered that it's never ok at work. While everyone else said it depends on four things: The situation, the type of hug, the relationship with the coworker, and the type of workplace. Types of hugs are important because a lingering hug could result in an HR call. While a short one arm hug might not come off as inappropriate.
The situation also changes the appropriateness of a hug. If it's someone's birthday, or if someone recently celebrated a big event in their life, for example. Those are all situations in which a hug would make sense, especially if you have a good relationship with the coworker. All of these rules exclude managers, they should not be hugging someone they supervise during work hours, which may sound like common sense, but you would be surprised.
What do experts say?
It's always safe to assume someone will not like a hug and for my male coworkers, they believe it's better to read the full situation before hugging. Management and leadership experts say it's important to look at body language, the occasion, and always keep it short. Hugging can become a serious issue, like in one California case where a correction officer accused her supervisor of giving unwanted hugs for over a dozen years. Hugging is not explicitly written in all workplace handbooks.In fact, unless an incident occurs, harassment laws include stalking, making inappropriate comments or not giving someone personal space.Every industry is also different. You may be a hugger but each environment expects different things. For example, a start up with a very open company culture, where you can wear sandals and casual clothes, may be filled with more people who are open to hugging. Meanwhile, a law firm or corporate office may have stricter rules when it comes to personal space.
Overall, for both men and women it's important to understand your environment and the relationships you build with your coworkers. No matter the circumstance it's not always appropriate to go straight for a hug. Take your time, and read everyone's body language to be safe.
