Workers in Britain are "safer" to greet colleagues of the opposite sex with a handshake than a kiss, a common greeting in other parts of Europe, a study released Friday said.
A survey of 1,200 workers by recruitment firm Office Angels said some became because so anxious while deciding whether to kiss or shake hands that one in eight forgot the name of the person they were greeting.One fifth had an embarrassing clash of faces as they tried to kiss, and one in 10 became so flustered they resorted to waving instead.
And in the worst-case scenario, a red-faced few ended up accidentally groping a colleague or client after opting for a kiss while the opposite party attempted to shake hands.
David Clubb, managing director of Office Angels, said: "If you feel struck by the kiss/shake dilemma, take your lead from the most senior person in the room.
"My advice would always be, if in any doubt, go for a handshake. A handshake is always considered professional and courteous, and being on the safe side of formal is never a bad thing in a workplace situation."
Source-AFP
SPH/L
