Hugging in the Workplace

Hugging can be a way to greet one another and is often used to demonstrate care. However, while hugging is not a bad practice, it may not be appropriate in the workplace. Hugging a friend is very different to hugging a colleague. It can be awkward and often unwanted by the recipient. Without consent, hugging is actually a form of sexual harassment which workers are now protected from under the positive duty. In this article we will guide you through the do’s and don’ts of hugging in the workplace, and why it may or may not be appropriate.

Understanding Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

As a form of greeting or affection with friends and family, hugging is perfectly acceptable. However, in a professional setting, a physical embrace may cross personal boundaries and even be considered a form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment in the workplace is defined as any sexual behaviour that is uninvited including unwanted hugs.

Unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature can be verbal, non verbal or physical. It is basically anything that makes a co-worker feel uncomfortable, unsafe or offended and can include everything from suggestive comments or inappropriate emails to physical touching like unwanted touching, hugging, cornering or kissing.

The Australian Human Rights Commission found that more than 40% of women and 26% of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment in the workplace in the past five years up to 2024. When an employee has been sexually harassed in the workplace it can severely affect their psychological or professional health. In a study from the University of Pittsburgh, when a woman experiences sexual harassment in the workplace they are three times more likely to develop depression, sleep disroders and high blood pressure. They lose productivity and become less engaged at work. Some women cannot even return to work and so lose income. Men who experience sexual harassment can experience just as serious emotional and psychological as women. A Respect Victoria Report explains the most common sexual harassment experienced by men in the workplance includes sexually suggestive comments, jokes and intrusive questions about their private life.

When Hugging in the Workplace Is Considered Sexual Harassment

Hugging in the workplace is considered sexual harassment when it is unwanted and makes the recipient feel humiliated, vulnerable or unsafe. It can impact the victim and the wider working environment of bystanders. The person who has been sexually harassed can feel embarrassed, angry or scared. They can suffer both emotional and physical distress. The broader working community can feel uncomfortable and distressed and may even develop psychological symptoms. There are a number of ways you can tell when hugging in the workplace is considered sexual harassment, from being simply unwelcome to when there is a power balance. We examine the reasons with case examples here.

Unwelcome: If the recipient does not want to be hugged, then it is unwelcome. A person who continues to insist on hugging them is displaying inappropriate behaviour that can be considered sexual harassment.
Case example: An employee has told the co-worker she does not like to be hugged when he has tried in the past. He still insists on walking up behind her and trying to give her a hug, ignoring her boundaries.
Frequent: Repeated instances of unwanted hugging is a form of sexual harassment.
Case example: Two young ladies work in a retail store and the owner insists on giving them regular lingering hugs that make them feel uncomfortable. The women physically react by trying to push him away but he holds the hug. This pattern of unwanted physical contact can be considered sexual harassment.
Sexual nature: If the hug is suggestive, it can be considered sexual harassment. The hug may be overly familiar, linger too long, or accompanied by suggestive comments.
Case example: A woman is the recipient of an unwanted hug from her co-worker who brings her closer and intensely stares into her eyes. She tries to pull away but he will not let her go.
Power imbalance: A hug from a superior can be particularly problematic because of the power dynamic. When an employee receives unwanted hugs from their boss, they may be reluctant to report or stop it for fear of losing their job.
Case example: A young woman works in a warehouse with other employees and their manager. The manager insists on hugging everyone who works for him. None of the employees like it but are too scared to say something for fear of retaliation or reprisal. The young woman finally says something to her boss and she is given less shifts.
Creates hostile and uncomfortable environment: When hugs are unwanted or frequent, they can create a hostile and uncomfortable environment. If accompanied with other inappropriate behaviour like verbal harassment, they can cause the recipient a great deal of distress and be considered sexual harassment.
Case example: A woman who works in an office is consistently hugged by one of her co-workers. She has told him it makes her feel uncomfortable and to stop but he keeps saying he was just trying to be nice and to lighten up. None of her other co-workers say anything but just keep working even though it is obviously distressing and disrespectful. The woman begins to feel hostile towards her role and the workplace as she is not being listed to or supported. She has experienced sexual harassment at work.

What Responsibility do Employers Have To Protect From Sexual Harassment?

Under the Sex Discrimination Act employers have a positive duty to eliminate all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. Employees are legally bound to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace which means their responsibility begins before there has even been a complaint. The positive duty is a legal obligation that was introduced under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. It applies to any ‘persons conducting a business or undertaking’ and ‘employers’ as they are defined in the act.

Employees and businesses have 7 standards they need to meet to satisfy the positive duty which prohibits sexual harassment in a workplace. These 7 standards provide a framework for prevention and response.

Leadership: Senior leaders are those with responsibilities for the management or governance of a workplace. They may be managers, CEOs, executive leadership teams or executive managers to name a few. These leaders are responsible for understanding their obligations and having up-to-date information on unlawful conduct. They must ensure that the right measures are being taken to prevent and respond to any unlawful conduct like sexual harassment in the workplace. Employees must be able to see that their leaders are visibly committed to ensuring a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment.
Culture: Businesses and organisations must foster a culture in the workplace that is safe, inclusive and values diversity and gender equality. The culture of a workplace refers to its overall character and includes their values, beliefs, goals and work practices. This culture would be communicated through leadership statements or policies, or even through interactions with colleagues. It sets the parameters of what is and is not acceptable in the workplace.
Knowledge: Knowledge is essential to meet positive duty requirements in the workplace. This includes education, training and policies and providing ongoing opportunities for learning. When staff and leaders are educated, they know what respectful behaviour is, what constitutes unlawful conduct, what causes it and how it occurs.
Risk Management: When businesses and organisations recognise that unlawful conduct is an equality risk and a health and safety risk, they ensure this risk is managed with a proactive approach to prevention and response. Business owners and managers must take an approach of identifying and assessing the risk of unlawful conduct in the workplace. Once identified, they must take every possible action to eliminate the risk of that conduct occurring in the work environment.
Support: Organisations and businesses must ensure that the appropriate support is available to staff who experience or witness unlawful conduct like sexual harassment. This includes all workers including managers and those in a position of leadership. To do this, the business must have internal support options available, make sure workers are aware of them, and make support available during the reporting and response period and even after it has concluded.
Reporting & Responding: It is essential that all employees have access to and knowledge of the reporting and resolution process and who to speak to if something occurs. The reporting processes are the avenues staff have available to them to raise any issues of sexual harassment. The organisation or business must have appropriate avenues for a worker to report unlawful conduct whether they are a witness or a victim. Those in authority must then respond to the report in a timely manner.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Transparency: it is important that organisations and businesses collect appropriate data to ensure they understand the nature and extent of unlawful conduct that has occurred in the workplace. They must regularly assess how the work culture is going and make any necessary adjustments along the way to improve the work environment. They must then be transparent with providing staff relevant information of any unlawful conduct that has occurred within the business, and the actions that have been taken to prevent and address it.

What To Do If You Have Been Hugged Inappropriately at Work

If you have been hugged inappropriately at work and consider it sexual harassment, there are a range of actions you can take. What you need to do depends on the extent or severity of the sexual harassment. An unwanted hug by a well meaning person who was extremely remorseful will not need the same reaction as someone who demonstrates consistently disrespectful behaviour. There are various ways you can address the situation when you have been hugged inappropriately at work. These are.

Keep a record: Write down the date and time it happened, what happened, who the perpetrator was, and how you felt. By writing it down you are keeping a record of the behaviour for later use if you decide to report it.
Tell the perpetrator to stop: If you feel you can reason with the perpetrator, tell them to stop. Explain that the hugging is not welcome and makes you feel extremely uncomfortable. Let them know your boundaries and that they are not to be crossed.
Go to a co-worker you trust: If there have not already been witnesses, then go to a co-worker you can trust. Explain to them what has happened and how you are feeling. If you open up to a co-worker you also might find that you are not the only person this has happened to and perhaps is a pattern of behaviour from the perpetrator.
Remove yourself from the situation: Immediately remove yourself from the situation where the co-worker is trying to or has hugged you. Go to a safe location or ask the perpetrator who is sexually harassing you to not come near you.
Report to employer or higher authority: Speak to your employer or supervisor. They have an obligation to protect workers from any form of sexual harassment. Explain to your employer what happened, dates and times so you have evidence if the matter needs to be escalated to authorities.

Basic Guidelines for Hugging in the Workplace

Hugging in the workplace should be approached with sensitivity and caution. It is often better not to hug in the workplace if there is any doubt. If you are confused about whether hugging in the workplace is appropriate, follow these guidelines.

Don’t hug if in doubt: If you are concerned about how hugging a co-worker might be received, then don’t do it. It is always better to err on the side of caution. Instead of a hug, congratulate or greet with a handshake or a simple ‘hello’ or ‘well done’.
Don’t hug a subordinate: It is extremely important that managers and bosses do not hug someone who is subordinate to them. This can be perceived as inappropriate particularly given the power imbalance and the risk of the hug being perceived as a sexual gesture. Managers and superiors hold a position of authority which could be seen as an abuse of power.
Don’t hug a client: Even if you have a good working relationship or have achieved a major success for the client, do not hug them. This could be seen as crossing professional boundaries and is opening up the possibility for misinterpretation. Hugging a client could cause you to lose their business or even face legal consequences.
Do apologise if you give an unwanted hug: If you innocently give a co-worker a hug that makes them uncomfortable, immediately apologise. It is important to acknowledge another person’s feelings and boundaries and reassure them that you respect them and it will never happen again.
Do speak up if you don’t want to be hugged: Don’t be afraid to tell your colleague or manager that you don’t want to be hugged. State your preference for a different kind of greeting or congratulations like a handshake or verbal recognition.
Do keep hugs to a minimum: If you do give a colleague a hug and it is reciprocated, do not make it a habit at work. It is important to make sure hugs are kept to a minimum to avoid an uncomfortable workplace environment.

Is It Ever Appropriate to Hug in the Workplace?

While it is generally not advised to make hugging in the workplace a habit, there can be some exceptional circumstances to that rule. Hugging is a way of expressing warmth and connection and can be appropriate in these situations.

Milestone moments: If a colleague you have known for a long time is celebrating a milestone moment like a marriage, the birth of a baby, or retirement, a congratulatory hug is appropriate as long as you know they are comfortable with it.
Death of a close loved one: If a co-worker has been dealing with the death of a loved one and is looking for comfort, a hug of acknowledgement would be appropriate provided they are comfortable.
Close personal friendship: If you have a close personal friendship with a co-worker and they return to work after a long period of time, a welcome back hug is appropriate as long as they are agreeable.

How To Know if a Hug is Appropriate in the Workplace

While most of the time hugging is not appropriate in the workplace, there are ways to decipher if the exception may be the case. Take these considerations into account when deciding if a hug is the right thing to do.

Read the room: While your co-worker might think a congratulatory hug is fine, it may make the rest of the office feel uncomfortable. It is important to acknowledge not only how the colleague feels about the hug but the other workers.
Read body language: Pay attention to your co-worker’s body language. They may have just returned after a long absence but, if they look uncomfortable or avert eye contact it can be a warning to not get closer. Similarly if the co-worker puts their hand out for a shake as you are approaching to hug, it is a clear sign a hug will not be welcomed.

As a general rule, hugging in the workplace is not advisable. Of course a hug can be a lovely gesture of greeting or celebration, but most people prefer to keep a workplace more professional and adhere to personal boundaries. When hugging is consistent, unwanted or met with other inappropriate behaviour it can actually be considered sexual harassment and the perpetrator can face serious legal consequences. Employers are legally obligated to protect their workers from any type of sexual harassment including unwanted hugging. For more information on hugging in the workplace and sexual harassment, contact the team at Positive Duty.