Where Should You Wear Your Name Badge?

Are there a right way and a wrong way to wear a name badge?

Most people wear their visitor badges on their left (near their heart). That’s because most people (about 90 percent of us) are right-handed, so it’s easier to put our visitor badges on our left side.

But is that the correct way to do it?

When, after all, do we wear name badges? Most likely it is when we are among people who don’t know us. So, when we meet them, we want to make it easy for them to learn our names during introductions. One way to do that is to position our visitor badges where they are most easily read while shaking hands. And the left side, despite our right-handed conventions, may not be it.

In the photos above, the man’s badge is almost impossible to read without leaning over to the right to see his left side. The woman’s badge, on the other hand, is directly between her eyes and her extended hand. This makes it easy to reach for her hand, glance at her badge, and make eye contact during the handshake, all in one smooth motion.

However, wearing a badge on the right side may cause the label to crumple when you reach out to shake hands, which could affect how well it stays on and can be read. Furthermore, putting it on the left side makes it easier to read while passing people in a building hallway or trade show aisle.

Whichever way you decide to wear your badge, if you wear it a little lower than recommended and you are a woman, says one blogger, “it will seem as if someone is looking at your chest when they may be trying to see your name.”

Finally, when you’re in a large gathering, advises another writer, “food and drink should be carried in your left hand, keeping your right hand free — and also not wet or cold from carrying your drink!”

Regarding that last point, it may be all right to wipe your hand before you shake hands, but it is considered bad form to wipe your hand after.

Our visitor badges “VOID” overnight to prevent reuse.
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