Today is National Talk in an Elevator Day. While its origins are unclear, this U.S. national day is observed on the final Friday of July each year to inspire people to break the unwritten rule of silent elevator trips and speak to their fellow passengers.
Perhaps this encouragement is especially needed now: A poll in May found that three in 10 Americans have tried to close the elevator door to intentionally leave someone behind. The worst offenders were Millennials (the group born between 1982 and 1999 of which your author is a member) with 42% of respondents in this age bracket saying they have pressed the close-door button to avoid an interaction. Gen Z (born in 2000 and later) and Gen X (1965-1981) were close behind with 40% and 34%, respectively. Baby Boomers were least likely to confess to this behavior, with 18% of respondents admitting to trying to leave before someone else could board.
Why are people often quiet and hesitant to connect in elevators? In a BBC interview from 2012 two experts, Professor Babette Renneberg, a clinical psychologist at the Free University of Berlin, and EW Historian and Correspondent Dr. Lee Gray weighed in. Renneberg attributed this social awkwardness to the lack of space in the cab. “Usually when we meet other people, we have about an arm’s length of distance between us. And that’s not possible in most elevators, so it’s a very unusual setting. It’s unnatural,” she said. Gray commented that a perceived lack of control over the lift’s movement can cause the rider to feel anxiety.
Add in pandemic-era CDC recommendations for safe elevatoring including limiting the number of riders, requiring masks and asking people to “not talk unless you have to,” and hesitancy to strike up a conversation is even more understandable. But there are several compelling reasons to speak up while going up (or down). Researchers have found that quick social interactions with strangers can foster meaningful feelings of happiness and human connection. Even brief eye contact without speaking can improve people’s sense of belonging and inclusion. Elevator conversations may also offer opportunities for networking, practicing small talk and staying in the present moment. In honor of National Talk in an Elevator Day, consider speaking to a stranger the next time you get on an elevator — or, at the very least, hold the door for them.
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