Rethinking business etiquette

The New York Times published a really interesting article this month which centered around interviews with over 500 leading epidemiologists on when they would expect to perform normal activities again post Covid-19. It was a fascinating read, and tells us a lot about how social and business etiquette may change for the long-term. Many epidemiologists said unless there’s an effective vaccine or treatment first, it will be more than a year before many say they will be willing to go to concerts, sporting events or religious services. And some may never greet people with hugs or handshakes again. That last point is interesting because these are established forms of business etiquette -  the handshake is not just a greeting, it can be a way of sealing a deal, of agreeing a partnership, an informal contract. Although as a temporary response, in-person business meetings prior to major lockdowns consisted of greetings by nudging covered elbows or clicking shoes together. But reality is setting in that until a vaccine or treatment is found, we may have seen the last of the handshake in business - and it may never return. It could be time to rethink business etiquette for the future.