Button-pushing to forced chatter: The do's and don'ts of mastering elevator etiquette

Long day, huh?

Hmm.

It’s really hot outside.

Hmm, it is.

Three more floors to go.

Cue awkward small talk, as silence feels unbearable.

Abu Dhabi-based Kritika Chowdhury reluctantly admits she used to be that person, the one who filled elevator rides with forced chatter. “I kept thinking, okay, we’re stuck in this small box for a minute or two… how do I make this less awkward?”

The answer? Make it pleasant, sure, but within the bounds of etiquette that keep everyone comfortable in those few square feet of social limbo. So, UAE-based wellness experts have a few suggestions.

The art of entering and not bulldozing people

Imagine this: The elevator dings, the doors slide open, and instead of waiting for people to exit, someone charges in like it's a sale.

Don't be that person. Step aside, let people get off, explains Aashna Singh, a Dubai-based corporate wellness mentor and speaker. “If the elevator is packed really tightly, try waiting for the next one. People often just try to squeeze in sideways like a game of human Tetris,” she says.

The button dilemma: Press responsibly

Abu Dhabi-based wellness practitioner Kathy Mole is bemused by the overzealous button-pushing that some people engage in. “It doesn’t change much. Smacking the ‘door close’ button doesn’t make the doors shut any faster,” she says.

It's the same for the floor button—press it once. The elevator got the memo.

And if someone yells, “Hold the elevator!”—be kind. But if they’re still a football field away, you don’t need to wait.

Personal space

Yes, sometimes the elevator is crowded. We get it, sometimes you have no choice but to stand close, but if there’s space, use it wisely. “Please don’t look into someone else’s phone,” pleads Singh, recalling people peering into her phone, till she finally had to tell them to stand back.

So, the unwritten rule: If there are three people in the elevator, go for the corners. Four? Take the four corners. Five? Okay, now we enter ‘acceptable crowding’ territory.

Talking: The do’s and don’ts

If it’s with strangers, a polite ‘Good morning’ or a simple head nod is fine. A deep conversation about conspiracy theories? Maybe not. Mole recalls how a stranger once swished out his phone and showed her a Reddit theory about a political crisis and asked for an opinion. “It was 7 am, what do I even say,” she says.

But sometimes, elevator friendships do grow naturally. “My neighbor spent over a year greeting me with just a smile and a nod. Then, one day, our small hellos turned into real conversations—about life, work, everything. Now, he’s one of my closest friends,” she says.

If you're with friends, keep the volume low. And if you must take a call, make it quick and keep your voice at a whisper. (No speakerphone, ever.)

The eye contact

Ah, this is always a tricky one.  So, where do you look in an elevator? The floor buttons? The ceiling? Your phone (even if there’s no signal)?Hilary Lane, an Abu Dhabi-based sales professional says she always gets a little awkward about accidentally ‘locking eyes’ with a stranger for too long. “I think, if you do make eye contact, a quick smile or nod works, but no prolonged staring. That’s how horror movies start,” she says.

The exit strategy: Timing is everything

When your floor is coming up, be prepared. Don’t wait until the last second to push through a sea of people like you're breaking out of prison. A gentle "Excuse me, this is my stop works wonders.

And if you’re standing near the doors but not getting off yet? Take a tiny step out, let people pass, then step back in.