Handshakes- How to Avoid Them

Covid-19 has created a lot of anxiety and will continue to do so throughout the Spring semester. This time of year is also the time of interviews with the handshake being a time-honored tradition. The tradition follows a popular theory of holding no ill will to a person by showing that you are not carrying weapons.

In today’s environment, this tradition may indeed hold the weapon of Covid-19. So how do you greet someone in a professional environment but not pass along potential harmful bacteria? Keeping in mind research that suggests a handshake enhances the social interactions by diminishing negative impact and creating a more positive interaction, let’s talk through several scenarios.

First, you want to let the person you are meeting know that you have concerns about Covid-19, so start with a statement like “Covid-19 is affecting us all, so I’m forgoing the traditional handshake. Then offer one of the following to create a positive interaction.

• Place your right hand over your heart and say it is a pleasure to meet you. This gesture shows goodwill and appreciation for the person.
• Bring your hands together in prayer or meditative stance and state it is an honor to meet you. This form of greeting shows a thoughtful and reflective appreciation for your meeting.
• Use jazz hands and say I’m so excited to meet you. This gesture shows you are genuinely thrilled to meet the person.
• Salute the person, and state it is nice to meet you. This form of greeting is a bit more casual, and it more of a nod to the person than a heartfelt welcome.

Be the first to lead in these gestures, and you won’t have to worry about the irresistible offer of a handshake. By being the first to offer another gesture, you are giving the recipient a welcomed out for shaking a hand during an anxious time. Finally, remember each person may have a preferred gesture or they may use multiple gestures depending on the circumstance. Ultimately your greeting serves to create a positive interaction.