Do you have a policy for how you acknowledge people you pass in the corridor at work?

September 19, 2007 10:44 AM

You work in a single level building with approx 150 people. You move around the building to get coffee, grab lunch etc. You pass people you don't know but recognize in the corridors. What is your policy for acknowledging these people?

Do you just say hello to everyone every time right across the board? Or do you always stare at the floor? Perhaps you sometimes raise your eyebrows and sometimes not? Maybe if you're a guy you always smile at women, maybe if you're a woman you always smile at guys?

Personally, my reaction to people depends on my mood and sometimes I regret not saying hello to someone I've formerly acknowledged. So I'm thinking it'd be easier if I just had a policy that I stuck to. Do you have one, and what is it?

posted by The_Partridge_Family to Society & Culture (30 answers total)

I live in a place where you have to say good morning/afternoon/night to anyone you pass, even in situations where it would be ludicrous stateside. At first, I thought it was a really annoying custom, but I'm totally into it now. Acknowledging someone's existence, and having yours acknowledged, is validating, and has no down side other than some getting used to.
posted by letahl at 10:53 AM on September 19, 2007

smile, nod.
posted by modernsquid at 10:54 AM on September 19, 2007 [2 favorites]

smile, nod.

I agree with modernsquid.
posted by the christopher hundreds at 11:01 AM on September 19, 2007

On first encounter of the day, say something. Second encounter, perhaps a nod and a smile. Third or more, a simple smile and eye contact. If you know it will be the last time you see them that day, a quick "good night" or "see you tomorrow" isn't out of place.
posted by cosmicbandito at 11:01 AM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Seconding cosmicbandito - sometimes the "first encounter" can just be something simple like "Hi"...
posted by Chunder at 11:06 AM on September 19, 2007

Brief smile and head nod to anyone recognized. Better smile and occasional small wave for those with whom you have ongoing mutual acknowledgment.
posted by desuetude at 11:10 AM on September 19, 2007

*nod* "G'morning."

Smiling is optional.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:31 AM on September 19, 2007

I say things like:

"Hi there!"
"Good morning."
"Monday... *sigh*"
"Have a good evening."
"Have a good weekend."

etc., as appropriate, and keep on walking.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:34 AM on September 19, 2007

Acknowledge everyone. Anyone who does not reciprocate gets put on your "Do Not Save In Case of a Building Fire" list.
posted by nineRED at 11:52 AM on September 19, 2007 [2 favorites]

I work at a small university, but in a role where I don't interact with students much at all. However, I walk around the building a lot, and I recognize many of them because I see the same people a few times a week. I normally don't say anything, because I don't know them, and because we've never said anything before (how do you decide when you've seen someone enough times to say hello for the first time?). I will smile or nod, and I always hold doors open for people and press elevator buttons and offer to help carry boxes that look heavy and say please and thank you and generally behave as politely as I know how to behave.

However, if I'm ever in an elevator with them, or waiting in line at the bookstore or cafeteria, or otherwise standing someplace for a few moments with someone I've seen around, I'll take a moment to introduce myself. I just say something like, "Hey, I've seen you around. I'm [decathecting] and I work in [department]. Are you a student here?" Usually we chat for a minute or two, and then I've made a new acquaintance with whom I can in the future have non-awkward hallway interactions. In one case, I actually started a friendship. So that's my solution.
posted by decathecting at 11:59 AM on September 19, 2007

I raise my eyebrows in a pleasant way.
posted by unknowncommand at 12:07 PM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

I would guess that it varies as to where you live. I, like letahl, live somewhere (American South) where it's customary to greet everyone. If you're not comfortable with that, I'd go with a smile and a little head-nod.
posted by radioamy at 12:10 PM on September 19, 2007

We exchange smiles and then I look away, specifically because I don't wish to waste time/breath with small chat.
posted by Meagan at 12:57 PM on September 19, 2007

Say "hey" and/or nod
posted by Autarky at 1:42 PM on September 19, 2007

Either a nod and smile, or a lifting of the chin in acknowledgment.

You could always add a polite "Hello, Hi, Good morning etc" in there as well. Smiling is key, as no one likes a hello from a creepy person :P
posted by PetiePal at 1:42 PM on September 19, 2007

Smile, nod, raise brows: all good. Just for variety, once or twice a month I like to stop in my tracks, stare at them, silent and slit-eyed, while they pass. Do that a few times and it doesn't matter what you do the other times, because they will never make eye contact again.
posted by RussHy at 1:43 PM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

There's even a down nod and a chin tilt. I like to mix them up for effect.
posted by frecklefaerie at 1:51 PM on September 19, 2007

If I don't know them at all: smile, or smile plus eyebrows.

If I've seen them around a lot but haven't officially met them: smile plus eyebrows, plus head gesture if we're on friendly hall-acknowledgment terms. (Once I start giving someone the head gesture -- either chin-lift or nod down -- it means that if we're together in a situation where we have time, I will introduce myself.)

If I have officially met them: smile plus eyebrows plus head gesture, plus "morning", "how ya doing" or similar quick greeting the first time I see them that day, or as whimsy dictates.
posted by LobsterMitten at 2:15 PM on September 19, 2007

This is more of a personality meets geography thing than a standard issue thing. Tactfully be yourself and have fun with it.

The answer also strikes me as having to do with the general attractiveness and/or friendliness of the other person as well.

(letahl sounds like s/he is in the VI)
posted by Slenny at 2:18 PM on September 19, 2007

Just smile.

Cute girls get a smile, plus I try to give them a creepy guy hug.
posted by mullingitover at 3:57 PM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm an eyebrow-raiser. Some days, when I'm feeling really frisky, I do the double snap/finger point/"Tch chk." (Is there a name for that move?)
posted by steef at 4:59 PM on September 19, 2007

Just please DO NOT WINK. It's frickin' creepy.
posted by beandip at 5:17 PM on September 19, 2007

- A tiny nod or chin raise if you're just walking by.
- Add a smile if I'm in a good mood.
- Talk about the slow elevator/awesome weather/it being Monday/it being Friday/etc. if you're alone in an elevator with someone you see often but don't know their name.
- A quick greeting "good morning" if you see them first thing in the morning.

Not too friendly but acknowledging their existence seems right to me.
posted by gemmy at 5:47 PM on September 19, 2007

Metal horns.
posted by softlord at 5:53 PM on September 19, 2007

i do the small smile/nod acknowledgement. it also works for the bathroom.

i'm in the south, though, so if the interaction is more than passing, like in an elevator, a few lines of chitchat (weather/neutral current event like the lobby renovations or whatever) are pretty much the rule.
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:19 PM on September 19, 2007

Whatever you do, don't ask someone how they are in that quick mashed-into-a-single-word "howareya" and walk past before they can answer. It's something I've mostly noticed among Upper Canadians but it grates on me whenever I notice it.
posted by Space Coyote at 7:42 PM on September 19, 2007

Acknowledge their existence.
however you like, as long as it's not creepy.
I mostly go for an eyebrow raise + grimace-smile thing.
(grimace-smile thing consists of me pulling my cheeks out as if smiling (but not up), and then pushing my lower lip up, much as this boy is doing.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 7:47 PM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

If I'm in a good mood, a lift of the eyebrow is as friendly as I get. For the other 95% of the time, I barely acknowledge my family, never mind strangers.

Most people seem to ramp up their greetings from a quick smile or nod depending on how well they know the other side of the equation, ranging from never seen before through seen a few times a week in the lift/corridor right up to had sex with and want to again. I don't think a standard policy is going to work for this, as there are too many variables.
posted by dg at 8:26 PM on September 19, 2007

you know how dogs sniff bum to see what each other are all about? and if they can't sniff each other's bums they get kind of anxious? humans have the same instinct with eye contact & smiles. so if you have time, you should always say hello. if you're in a hurry, make sure to telegraph that in the way you're moving, so your lack of hellos won't seem rude. and no matter what, always look everyone in the eye with a pleasant expression on your face (i like eyebrows up, half smile).
posted by twistofrhyme at 9:59 PM on September 19, 2007

On the other tack..how about introducing yourself? If you it is the same 150 people, day in and day out, it would be good for you to know them and them to know you. You never know who is who and how they might affect the course of your day/career/project/etc.

You could start with: "Hey I always see you around, I'm [Name]"

They will tell you their name..remember it! Call them by name when you say hello. Smile, be friendly. Next time ask where they work dept/location... This can all happen in under 15 seconds.

The point is get to know who is around because the next time you need someone in Data Processing or Tech Support or run into them in the copy room you will have some established common ground to start with.

Bottom Line, network....it can never hurt, but the opposite is true, not being networked can kill you. I have been in lay-off meetings were we needed to eliminate 1/3rd of the positions, all candidates being equal, it was the people the team of managers knew that kept their jobs. How did the other department managers know the people that they didn't supervise? Because those people had made an effort to connect to other employees in the company.

Its called teamwork...
posted by Fuzzy Dog at 1:49 PM on September 20, 2007