# Is touching co-workers OK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 3, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-touching-co-workers-ok/833424 "2019-05-03T15:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 196
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2019, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-touching-co-workers-ok/833424/196 "2019-05-05T05:13:43Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > DrDeth aside–and I know that’s like a metric shit-ton of posts to put aside–I’m wondering if there’s an accommodation position: > > 1. Everyone, pay attention to the norms at your workplace. > 2. If you’re in a non-touching workplace, and someone touches you, it’s cool to let them know what the norms are. > 3. If you’re in a touching workplace, and someone touches you, it’s cool to let them know that you don’t like it. > 4. If you touch people, stay within norms. A workplace like mine, where shoulder-touches are normal, doesn’t invite you to touch folks on the thigh, or face, or wherever. > 5. If you touch someone within norms, and they give any indication of disliking it, you screwed up–minorly. Apologize and don’t do it again. > 6. If someone touches you within norms, and you dislike it, let the toucher know, but don’t treat it like assault. > > We’re humans. Under the best of circumstances–where we’re trying to make the world a more tolerable place for one another–we can still screw up. Be patient with each other, be clear about your needs with each other. I have no problems with these. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-touching-co-workers-ok/833424)._