An operating device, in particular for a vehicle component or generally for a human/machine interface, comprising - a front panel having a front side and a rear side, - at least one pushbutton having a pushbutton body depressible from the front side of the front panel, - a guide element arranged on and/or behind the rear side of the front panel defining an accommodating area and comprising an inner side facing towards the accommodating area and an outer side facing away from the accommodating area, the pushbutton body being guided in the accommodating area and being at least partially accommodated by the accommodation area, and - a capacitive proximity sensor comprising an electrode arranged on and/or behind the rear side of the front panel, for detecting an object approaching the pushbutton body, in particular a hand or a finger of a hand, - a support plate having arranged or formed thereon at least one switch operatively connected to the pushbutton body, characterized in - that the electrode is arranged outside the accommodating area of the guide element in that electrode is arranged between the inner side and the outer side of the guide element or extends externally around the guide element and thus outside the guide element as well as adjacent to the guide element and/or adjoining to the guide element, - that at the rear side of the front panel, the guide element projects from said accommodating opening by a length, - that a contact field for electrically contacting the electrode is formed on the support plate, and - that the electrode is formed as a helical spring that extends between the contact field of the support plate and the end of the guide element that faces to the front panel. - a front panel having a front side and a rear side, - at least one pushbutton having a pushbutton body depressible from the front side of the front panel, - a guide element arranged on and/or behind the rear side of the front panel defining an accommodating area and comprising an inner side facing towards the accommodating area and an outer side facing away from the accommodating area, the pushbutton body being guided in the accommodating area and being at least partially accommodated by the accommodation area, and - a capacitive proximity sensor comprising an electrode arranged on and/or behind the rear side of the front panel, for detecting an object approaching the pushbutton body, in particular a hand or a finger of a hand, - a support plate having arranged or formed thereon at least one switch operatively connected to the pushbutton body, - that the electrode is arranged outside the accommodating area of the guide element in that electrode is arranged between the inner side and the outer side of the guide element or extends externally around the guide element and thus outside the guide element as well as adjacent to the guide element and/or adjoining to the guide element, - that at the rear side of the front panel, the guide element projects from said accommodating opening by a length, - that a contact field for electrically contacting the electrode is formed on the support plate, and - that the electrode is formed as a helical spring that extends between the contact field of the support plate and the end of the guide element that faces to the front panel.