A Firm Handshake Could Soon Be a Thing of the Past, as a Quarter of Youngsters Are Too Nervous

The firm handshake, once a marker of character and courtesy, is in danger of extinction among Britain’s teenagers, as 75 per cent of youngsters admit they struggle with social anxiety.

A survey of 2,000 parents and their teenage children, by ACS International Schools, found a resounding 92 percent of teens say they are considerably more at ease communicating through text or emoji, rather than face-to-face.

And the research discovered a host of interactions modern teens will go out of their way to avoid – with having to engage in small talk the most difficult (56 per cent would go to lengths to avoid this).

While nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of today’s teenagers admit they are unable to deliver a confident handshake, and 29 per cent would never have the confidence to tell a joke to their peers.

Answering the door, or their phone when an unknown number comes up, are also challenging for a large percentage of British young people, while many struggle to order food from waiting staff in a restaurant, without feeling embarrassed.

And parents are also concerned about their kids’ social skills, with 69 percent saying they feel the younger generation is less confident than those who went before.

Nearly all (96 percent) of the parents surveyed believe text and emojis are starting to replace face-to-face interactions entirely for their teens.

Parents blame this shift on the dominance of the internet, with 73 percent believing their teens are not comfortable with social interaction because they spend too much time online.

A massive 86 percent of parents believe that their child is more confident in online situations than in face-to-face interactions.

While 77 percent of parents say their teens get embarrassed and tongue tied when they have to talk to someone.  And 81 percent believe that schools should do more to help communication skills.

Dr Robert Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, ACS International Schools, and one of the report authors, believes schools should be the place to teach confidence to young people, “The future belongs not to those who can code or calculate in isolation, but to those who can connect, convince and collaborate in person.

“This generation has not lost the ability to communicate. But they are in danger of losing the confidence that effective communication requires. Schools that understand this distinction, and act on it, will equip their students to thrive in the world.

“Just as artificial intelligence makes human communication skills more valuable than ever, we are raising a generation that appears to avoid them.”

The poll also showed that as many as 81 percent of teens who took part in the study are concerned that their lack of confidence will impact their future negatively.

Shockingly, only 26 percent feel totally at ease speaking out if they disagree with someone.

Experts warn that these shrinking skills could leave young people unprepared for job interviews, first dates and even the basic pleasantries of adult life.

The survey also showed that 72 percent of parents believe that AI means that human to human interaction is sure to become more important in future career success.

SOCIAL SITUATIONS BRITISH TEENS FIND EXCRUCIATING

2. Small talk: 59% will go to lengths to avoid
3. Looking someone in the eye when talking to them: 36%
4. Telling a joke in front of a group of peers: 29%
5. Answering the doorbell, if not sure who it is: 28%
6. Answering the phone if the number is not recognised: 28%
7. Asking for help in a shop: 27%
8. Giving a handshake: 24%
9. Ordering food in a restaurant: 23%
10. Talking to people on the phone: 20%
11. Speaking up in a restaurant if the order was wrong: 18%
12. Explaining symptoms to a doctor or nurse: 16%
13. Telling an anecdote at a dinner/lunch: 16%
14. Booking a doctor or dentist appointment: 15%
15. Putting a point across in a face-to-face meeting: 13%
16. Asking for a pay rise: 11%

A free copy of the report “Generation Tongue-Tied – why teens are struggling to speak up” can be downloaded here.