Westfield Shopping Centre has conducted new research that predicts the humble “hello” might just be dying out.
A new nationwide study has revealed that you’re more likely to hear a breezy “hi” when you meet someone.
More than half of Brits (52%) claim they now always use the more casual shorter greeting in day-to-day life.
In fact, 47% say that the word hello is now boring and outdated.
They could have a point. Thomas Edison catapulted it into common usage as a greeting, urging people to use it to answer the telephone.
Westfield Shopping Centre conducts new greetings research
The more informal – and now more common – hi predates hello,
It originates from the Middle English “hy”, similar to hey.
The study by Westfield – to launch its campaign with comedian Troy Hawkes – also found that 38% of us like to greet people with a cheery “hiya” instead of hello.
Meanwhile, a third prefer the rhetorical “alright?”.
Other less formal greetings that Brits enjoy using include “hey” (28%), “you okay?” (24%), “long time no see” (12%) and “what’s up?” (12%).
While almost one in 10 (8&) insist on greeting people with a direct “yo”.
How greetings at work have changed
And that’s not all, as the research also revealed that casual acknowledgements are now more common in corporate settings than ever before.
Indeed, some 39% of those polled insisted that hi and hiya are perfectly acceptable at work, even in emails.
Meanwhile, the research of 2,000 Brits also revealed that physical greetings are changing.
Nowadays, 48& of Brits admitting they’re shaking hands far less than they used to a few years ago.
A simple nod does the job according to 36% of those polled. Meanwhile, 31% opt for a hug when greeting friends and 28% go in for a fist bump.
A kiss on the cheek is the preferred greeting for 13% of those asked. Meanwhile, perhaps in the age of Covid, 12% use an elbow bump.
However, over a fifth of Brits (22%) have been left red faced when it comes to physical greetings like this.
They often feel unsure how to respond and even leave the other person hanging.
Meanwhile 18% have their own secret handshake which they do exclusively with close family and friends.
Professional greeter at Westfield
Katie Wyle, General Manager at Westfield London, said: “A personalised greeting can change how we feel about a person, place and ourselves.
“Following our research, we are delighted to welcome Troy Hawke as our first ever professional greeter to complement our dedicated Guest Services team.
“He will enhance the warm, traditional welcome we like to provide to all visitors to our centre.”
Constant changes
The research suggests that the English language and physical ways to greet each other are constantly evolving. As a result, 46% of Britons believe that how we interact with each other is forever changing.
When it comes to the modern shopping experience, 37% admit they would be left feeling uncomfortable if the shop assistant used an informal greeting with them, like a fist bump.
In fact, 45% would deem it completely unprofessional. Over a third (34%), meanwhile, would be left feeling awkward and confused.
And while a quarter like to be greeted by a shop assistant when they go into a store, 59% feel disgruntled if they try to make small talk with them.
Some 14% confessed to finding it incredibly frustrating.
Read more: Escape to Mr Black’s Mansion this Halloween
Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and share your thoughts.