Do you doubt a coworker secretly likes you?
It’s hard to discern when you see each other daily in a professional setting. Flirty signs can be subtle or easy to misread.
While office romances come with unique challenges, they are also fairly common – 75% of participants in a recent SHRM’s survey admitted they were totally fine dating a colleague. Even though the remote work culture has parted employees from sitting across each other, these work-related romances saw a 6% increase.
Men usually show their affection explicitly but when working at the same place they might be more subtle.
Noticing the hints and signs they give is crucial to know how to respond without hurting them or yourself.
Weāve made a list of 21 signs to look for in your coworker to confirm his likeability.
21 Signs a Male Coworker Likes You:
1. His Body Language Gives Away He is Crushing
Even though most of our body movements are unconscious and happen on autopilot, emotions play a major role in our movements and gestures we do.
Paying attention to the posture, hand movement, or facial expressions, will reveal a lot about his romantic interest in you.
When a person is genuinely interested in you, heāll start mirroring your body language and keep his feet pointed at you. Other research-backed signs include:
- Pupil dilation. When a person feels attracted to you, his pupils will dilate and increase in size.
- Touching. If he likes you, heāll want to get closer to you and touch you gently when he gets the chance. Touch him lightly on the arm and see if heāll touch back, and if he does chances are that he likes you.
- Preening. A man who likes you will do his best to leave a good impression on you, which means heāll be fixing his hair, and clothes, or peeking at the mirror.
These are just a few points for a start but weāll be exploring other body language signs more in-depth.
2. He Often Sneaks Glances At You
Eye contact and the way he looks at you tell a lot about him. When he likes you, heāll be inclined to look at you more often.
So itās no surprise that heāll look at you secretly when youāve turned around or are working at your desk.
Turn your head around unexpectedly to see if heās actually looking at you often. If you keep this in mind and do it at the right times, you might end up locking eyes with each other.
What starts as a careless glance can lead to a powerful chemistry between the two. But most importantly is a dead-on confirmation that he has fallen for you.
3. His Tone Changes When He Is Around You
- Does his voice instantly change when he shifts his conversation from other colleagues to you?
- Does he speak slower and with a deeper voice?
Our tone of voice changes depending on the person weāre talking to. If this person is someone we care to impress and seduce, weāll make more effort.
Even Studies have confirmed that women are attracted to men with deep low voices.
And, when a man wants to impress a women he will consciously or subconsciously lower his voice and deepen it so that it sounds more intimate, soft, and amicable.
Also, If he keeps his eyes on you while talking slowly and softly with a deep voice, different from how he talks to other colleagues, this male coworker likes you.
4. He Tries to Make You Laugh
Laughter is the universal language of happiness. When he tries to make you laugh, it means that he wants to see you happy.
But donāt misunderstand these hidden signs. Friends try to make us laugh all the time too.
However, thereās a small difference when a man who likes you tries to make you laugh.
Heāll be staring at you while you laugh for longer than a friend would, and he will act funny to make you smile even if itās only you two.
- Does he stare into your eyes?
- Does he look mesmerized by your reaction?
- Is his focus on your smile most of the time?
In short, acting funny to make you laugh is one of the signs that comes combined with other signs like light smiling and glancing over.
All you have to do is compare his reaction when he cracks a joke with other colleagues and when it is in your company.
5. He Flirts With You
Flirting can be subtle or very straightforward.
It can be a sweet emoji added at the end of a message, an unexpected dirty punchline, or a teasing compliment.
When a man flirts with you whenever he gets the chance, heās seriously attracted to you.
But what are some signs of flirting? Well, they include:
- Teasings (either physically or verbally)
- Sensitive discussions (he asks about your relationship status)
- Intimate gestures (his body language is open and focused toward you)
- Eye locking (heāll keep eye contact to show his interest)
- Inside jokes (heāll make specific jokes to remind you that he remembers details about your life and understands you)
Remember that the more signs you spot, the higher the chances of him to have fallen for you.
6. He Looks Jealous When You Talk To Other Male Coworkers
For someone who likes you, seeing other males talk and stay closer to you is irritating.
The irritation is a form of jealousy, which heāll display when he has the chance.
Note how his facial expression changes when you talk to other male colleagues or are smiling by yourself at your phone.
Even though youāre not in a relationship yet, heāll show signs of jealousy because he has feelings for you.
And most importantly, heās afraid he might lose you to other guys.
One way in which he might display this jealousy is by competing with the other coworkers whom he suspects you like.
Heāll make sarcastic jokes, and outshine them with the aim to impress you.
7. He Gives You Compliments
Compliments are the best way to build a connection with someone.
When someone compliments you, they donāt necessarily like you. It could be a sign of respect for what you do, a courtesy gesture, or a simple opener.
If a male coworker likes you, making compliments is one of the common approaches heāll take to get your attention.
However, wanting to build a more intimate connection, heāll attempt to make specific compliments about small changes in your outfit, hairstyle, or even your performance at work.
Pay attention to the way he looks at you after giving a compliment.
If he stares at you and smiles, instead of turning his sight away immediately, then it was more than a friendly gesture. He likes you!
8. Your Coworkers Tell You That He Likes You
Having a common workplace means having more than one colleague, which can be a bad thing or a good thing, depending on the office culture.
If youāre working in a toxic environment where colleagues donāt get along with each other, and gossip a lot, itāll be hard to keep your cool.
Youāll be too distracted to spot the signs we spoke about. But if youāre working in a relaxed work environment where positivity dominates, itāll be much easier to find your admirer.
Colleagues who have watched you interact together could have noticed how he behaves with you, and theyāll point it out. Donāt ignore them.
And even in the first scenario, when you work in a toxic environment, youāll notice who likes you because theyāll be your biggest supporter.
9. Your Colleagues Tease Him Whenever You Walk Past By
A good partnership with coworkers turns easily into a friendship and you start sharing secrets with each other, including your crush’s name and details about your love life.
Men donāt like keeping secrets that much. So if a coworker likes you, his colleagues might know it too.
Thatās why theyāre likely to tease him when youāre around. Pay attention to your coworkers when they stay together.
- Do they change the topic when you approach them?
- Do they look at him and laugh when youāre close?
- Does his facial expression change when youāre close?
These signs show that he is hiding something from you. Your coworker might have feelings for you and you still don’t know.
10. He Is Protective Of You
Our instincts push us to be protective whenever we feel that the emotional or personal well-being of someone we care about is threatened.
In his eyes, your sanity is already precious because he feels for you. If an issue arises, and heās around, youāll notice him get protective if he likes you.
The most common scenario is when youāve made a mistake at work and youāre discussing it with the team. Heāll side with you and offer support.
At the time you might be emotionally overloaded and not notice it, but heāll be the one listening and offering you support and attention.
11. He Praises You in Front of Colleagues
There are two reasons why heās likely to do this: he wants to impress or simply wants to see you smile.
Hopefully, this doesnāt sound as if heās sucking up to you. Because thatās a completely different thing.
But youāll be able to differentiate between someone who likes you and someone who cares only to win your appreciation.
Honest praises from which he benefits nothing show that heās attentive and has fallen for you.
12. He Gives You A Nickname Or Calls You Something Different
Who was the last person youāve stuck a nickname to?
Probably a best friend or a close relative.
We tend to give the people weāre most close to nicknames either to make fun of them or show our affection.
When he tries to get closer to you and show your affection, giving you a nickname is something heāll do.
According to research, when a man gives you a nickname, heās trying to be affectionate without appearing too sensitive or weak.
If he calls you by a nickname, especially one heās created himself, heās trying to be affectionate and build a stronger intimate connection with you.
13. He Engages With You On Social Media
Almost everyone has a social media account nowadays, and itās not a surprise that most use it for dating.
However, if your coworker connects with you on social media it doesnāt immediately mean that heās into you.
He can follow other female colleagues as well. This act alone isnāt enough to reveal whether he has a crush on you or not.
One way to confirm your doubts is by observing the way he communicates with you on social media.
If you see these signs, your make coworker likes you:
- He replies fast,
- Heās always engaging with your content,
- He adds smile, heart, or other sweet emojis in his messages,
- Notices small changes such as profile picture update, new bio, etc.
Normally, someone who likes you, at the moment you accept his friend request, will like a few of your pictures (if you have any) and probably reply to your stories.
14. He Asks You About Hypothetical Scenarios
Our imagination leaves us bare naked sometimes. Our response to a made-up scenario often reveals a lot about mindset.
But at the same time, it reveals our deepest fantasies and things we donāt normally discuss with everyone.
As someone who likes you, heād want to know whatās going on in your mind, and these questions are the ideal way to achieve that.
He could ask questions that donāt relate directly to relationships.
These can be normal things such as āWhat would you do if we got fired today?ā or āHave you ever thought about moving somewhere remotely forever?ā
Then, after the conversation has progressed to a point where youāre both smiling, he could be asking about scenarios about your dream date.
15. He Helps You Solve Your Work-Related Problems
Now, every man is driven by the hero instinct and wants to prove his worth in emergencies. Work-related issues can turn into the playground for this.
If youāre both working under tight deadlines and he still leaves his own tasks to help you with yours, he has some kind of sympathy toward you.
However, this depends on his character.
Because if heās too big-headed and wants to show off his skills, his help has nothing to do with trying to help you because he likes you.
But if he has proven himself to have a decent personality thatās far from being egotistical, this is a sign of likeability.
If he does this more often for you than the other colleagues, thatās a surefire sign that heās into you.
16. Heās Always Asking For Your Help Or Advice
If he likes you, he respects the way you think and behave.
One way for him to get closer to you is by asking for advice and help in matters youāre knowledgeable about.
Most people never ask for help from their coworkers for fear of appearing weak or unskilled.
If he puts his ego away and comes to you for advice, he should have a motive. Often, this motive is quite straightforward: he likes you.
Notice how he responds to your advice and that of your colleagues. What pieces of advice does he decide to follow and what not?
17. You Have Inside Jokes With Him
Sense of humor is closely connected with attractiveness.
Men know this. It has become part of the instinct for years to make a woman laugh if they want to build chemistry.
But laughing is so universal, that we often crack a joke to also build better friendships and partnerships. It doesnāt necessarily mean that weāre attracted to the person weāre joking with.
But when a man cracks personal jokes with you, mentioning details about your life, character, or what you like and dislike, thereās something more.
A general joke might not mean much.
But when your male coworker is having inside jokes with you, things differ.
Itās one of the most common signs that he likes you.
18. He Notices The Subtle Changes In Your Appearance
When we’re in a work environment, it’s normal to forget what our coworkers share with us during lunchtime conversations.
But if they do remember the details, it means that they have feelings for you.
You’re stuck in their mind and they experience strong emotions when talking to you.
A coworker who likes you would easily recall details about your clothes, hairstyle, or subtle changes in appearance.
For instance, when winter comes he might ask if you still have the same scarf youāve worn in one of your Instagram pictures, or if youāve tried a new hairstyle this week.
Even though this might make him sound like a stalker, he remembers changes in your appearance because he observes you carefully every day.
19. He Is Interested In Your Personal Life
For someone who likes you deeply, the details of your personal life are a must-know. Through them, he can create an intimate connection with you.
But how does this start? It starts with simple questions about your childhood, your dreams as a kid, and your love life.
If you notice that this conversation is opened again and again even after youāve shared enough details with him in one sitting, his curiosity shows that he feels attracted to you.
Especially if he asks about your love life and the ideal guy youād like to date. Then, heās probably looking to find out if he ticks all those boxes to be the potential candidate.
Notice how his face changes when you mention a trait that he has and one that he doesnāt.
20. He Doesnāt Like The Idea Of You Switching Jobs
If you leave your job, youād be away from the coworker who likes you.
Itās a no-brainer that heāll insist that you donāt.
Just by looking at how his facial expression changes, you can understand that he wants to have you near.
Thatās different from the look for a manager who appreciates your work ethic and wants to have you on the team.
Heās likely to stare at you for longer periods, become colder to show his sadness (in case you decide to move), and give you reasons why you shouldnāt switch jobs at this moment.
Heās likely to try everything to change your mind. And if the coworker weāre talking about is your boss, heās likely to even offer higher pay if you stay.
Speaking of boss, you don’t wanna miss on this one: Signs your male boss like you but hiding it.
21. He Finds Excuses to Spend Time With You
During company events, the parties can go a little wild and messy.
However, if he likes you, heāll use this opportunity to spend more time with you instead of joining the party.
If thereās a chance to dance together, heāll be there to invite you to dance.
Such a long period of time to spend together is a great option for him to show himself and impress you, and he wouldnāt miss it.
Notice where he sits, and he reacts when he sees that youāre close to other coworkers.
Men find it hard to hide their emotions. Heās likely to be frustrated if he doesnāt stay with you but another colleague does.
Anyways, nothing is set in stone. These signs are just indicators.
But if you see that he struggles to find ways to stay with you and turns down the invitation to stay with other coworkers, thatās a compelling sign that he finds you attractive and wants to spend time with you.
Takeaway:
For starters, keep in mind that one sign is not enough to prove he likes you. If he truly likes you, heāll exhibit more than one of the signs weāve mentioned.
If youāre still doubtful, try to provoke him by asking about the type of women he likes, or talking about your past crushes. Heāll get emotional if he likes you, making it easier for you to confirm your suspicions.
