Should I be worried about the hands-on approach of my boss?

Dear Aunty B,

I work for an information services company and I have a good working relationship with the general manager. The only issue is that he likes to tap me on the shoulder each time he walks past my desk or we finish a conversation. It’s done in a friendly way, and he acts the same way with all the staff, but it has started to get on my nerves. Am I being too sensitive?

Sarah,

Geelong

Dear Sarah,

Don’t sweat the small stuff, and in this case, I think it is just small stuff.

Every manager has a different personality and different way of interacting with their staff. I once worked with a manager who liked to high-five his staff after each morning meeting and it did bring some fun into our workplace.

My guess is that this is your boss’ way of keeping things relaxed and letting his staff know he is an approachable guy. As long as the interactions stay on this friendly level, I think you can relax and get on with your job.

Be Smart,

Aunty B