(Bk Business) Carol Kinsey Goman Ph.D.-The Nonverbal Advantage_ Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work -Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2008)

Chapter 8: The Power of Touch
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TRY THIS
Try increasing your communication impact by
adding a touch now and again—but remember to use your
common sense about proper behavior in a professional
setting. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Look for signs of discomfort. People signal a reluctance
to be touched by crossing their arms and legs, pulling
back, and buttoning or holding on to their jackets.
Limit the contact to the hands, arms, shoulders, and
back. And be aware that touching bare shoulders or backs—
which female summer attire may expose—can be perceived
as a personal rather than a business gesture.
Make the touch light and short (only long enough to
establish a positive nonverbal signal) and then step back.
Who Touches Whom?
Political and symbolic messages are expressed and reinforced
by various forms of touch—and their avoidance. Directly
touching people with special status is often off-limits, and to
breech this boundary is a sign of disrespect or defiance. There
was an outcry a few years ago when the Australian prime
minister lightly touched Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to
Australia. While defended as a token of hospitality, many
British citizens took it as a flagrant insult to royalty.
In most business environments and organizations,
touching is a nonverbal signal of the boss/subordinate relationship.
And in most cases, it’s the boss who does the touching.
It is quite common (and usually favorably accepted) for
a manager to touch the shoulder, upper back, or arm of an
employee while saying, “Good job!” It is far less common for
the employee to act in kind.