This post may include affiliate links to products we think you'll find useful. We may earn a small commission if you buy through these links. Read our affiliate disclosure.
Have you got the feeling that a male coworker likes you?
There are lots of reasons why he might try to hide it. He might be worried about making you feel uncomfortable and creating a weird vibe in the workplace. Or perhaps company policy won’t allow him to start a relationship with a colleague. He might even be your boss, which would make things even more scandalous!
Even though he’s trying to hide it, there are many signs you can look for to be sure he has a crush on you. Here’s how to be certain your hunch is correct before you make your next move.
1. He makes excuses to get alone time with you
Does he constantly try and make excuses to get some alone time with you? It might not be easy for him to arrange, especially if you work in a busy office or a retail store where there are lots of colleagues hanging around. But if he’s got a crush on you, he’ll find a way to get you on your own.
Maybe you realize that he always seems to leave the building at the same time as you so he can chat while you walk to your car. Or perhaps he always appears when you’re alone in the kitchen making a coffee. Can your caffeine needs be that in sync? Unlikely. He’s keeping an eagle eye on the coffee machine, and he’s ready to swoop in and catch a few moments with you while there’s no one else around.
If he’s your boss or manager, he might even create extra meetings to get a chance to chat with you. Sure, he’ll have to find something vaguely work-related to talk about, but it will still give him plenty of opportunities to flirt.
2. He flirts with you
When he does manage to get you by yourself, think about what he says and how he acts around you compared to everyone else. Does he flirt with you?
Keep in mind that some people are naturally flirty, and they don’t mean anything romantic by it. They might even barely realize they’re doing it at all. But if your coworker flirts with you more than anyone else, it’s a great sign that he likes you.
Hopefully, he tries to keep most of his flirting to the times when you’re alone together. Openly flirting with you around other coworkers is unlikely to go down well if he wants you to be his girlfriend.
Some of the most common flirting signs are eye contact, casual touching, checking you out, and teasing. I’ll discuss these more next.
This video also has some great examples of what to look for when a guy is flirting with you.
3. He glances or stares at you
Prolonged eye contact is a massive sign of flirting. Staring at someone in the eyes is a very intimate and powerful gesture and one of the most potent non-verbal signs of attraction.
Another sign to look out for is if he glances at you and then looks away. If it happens once or twice, it might be an accident, but if he keeps glancing, you can be sure he’s really interested and wants you to notice.
4. He touches you every chance he gets
Another sign that he’s flirting is if he finds lots of excuses to touch you. If you’re sitting in a meeting, he might ‘accidentally graze his leg against yours under the table. If this happens once, it might be an accident – but any more, and you can be sure his touch is intentional.
He might also reach out and touch your arm when he’s laughing at something you said. It looks innocent enough, but he means it.
5. He blatantly checks you out
And if he’s getting really bold, he might just blatantly stare at your butt and smile when you catch him. There’s no doubt he’s thinking about what he wants to do with you in the supply closet.
6. He playfully teases you
The trick to teasing is that it works best on someone you know. It’s a way to show them how deeply you know them by sharing a laugh at one of their personality quirks. It’s not meant to be mean – it says, ‘I understand you, and I love your quirks.’
Because you have a history with the person you’re teasing, you also know how far you can push them without making them upset.
So if you’re not good friends with your coworker, there’s a good chance he’ll come off sounding awkward or weird if he teases you. Especially at work, where teasing could easily be taken out of context and confused with bullying.
But regardless of whether his teasing is cute or annoying, he’s only doing it because he likes you. He’s trying to break the ice and connect by showing how much he knows about your personality.
The secret weapon to make him obsessed with you
All men feel a powerful urge to compete. It comes from ancient times when every day was a fight for survival to protect their tribe and provide for their families.
The stakes are much lower today, but the competitive urge remains deeply rooted in male biology. Instead of fighting saber-toothed tigers, men channel their competitive energy into work, fitness, acquiring wealth, or earning the respect of their peers.
Imagine if you could harness all this competitive energy and make a man obsessed with winning your love?
You can. And all you need to do is trigger a biological switch inside him that will make him see you as the ultimate prize.
Relationship psychologist James Bauer calls this switch the “hero instinct,” and it explains why some women have men falling all over them while others struggle to find lasting love.
Triggering a man’s hero instinct taps into his competitive spirit and makes him see your relationship as an opportunity to prove himself as a man. Making you happy gives him purpose and a “game” to win.
Instead of you chasing him, he will jump through hoops to impress you and win your approval. In a matter of days, he’ll become more protective, committed, and attracted to you than you ever dreamed possible.
And the best part is that you can do all this without playing hard to get or acting like a damsel in distress.
This free video presentation from James Bauer will show you exactly what to say, what texts to send, and what to ask your man to trigger his hero instinct and make him utterly obsessed with you.
It sounds almost too good to be true, but it’s the real deal. James’ techniques use simple yet powerful psychology to help you tap into the deepest desires that all men feel.
7. He connects with you on social media
Has he connected with you on social media? He might be friends with many of his coworkers on social media, so this sign doesn’t guarantee he’s into you.
But think about how he interacts with you. Does he send you lots of messages and want to chat with you outside of work hours? Does he comment a lot on your posts or tag you in pictures?
Is he a shy or introverted guy? He might be using social media to interact with you because he feels uncomfortable talking to you in person.
If you see many of these signs, then there’s a good chance he has a crush on you. If nothing else, it proves that he’s spending a lot of time outside of work hours thinking about you.
8. His coworkers act weird when you’re around
If his coworkers act super weird while you’re around, it’s a sure sign he likes you.
If he has friends at work, there’s a good chance he’s told them he likes you. He probably swore them to secrecy, but we all know what workplaces are like for gossip. There’s no doubt everyone knows by now.
Even if he hasn’t told them about you, they’ve probably figured it out for themselves. After all, he acts just as weird when you’re around as they do!
So what kind of weird behavior should you be looking out for? All good signs are elbowing each other, giving each other sly smiles or knowing nods, and generally looking shifty.
You might also find that his coworkers all mysteriously vanish when you come over to talk to him. It looks pretty obvious, but they’re trying to do him a solid and create some alone time for him to work his magic on you.
9. He’s interested in your personal life
Is he interested in your personal life? Does he go out of his way to ask you what you got up to on the weekend?
He might just be a friendly guy – but he might also be trying to learn more about you to build a romantic connection.
If he’s very interested in your love life, then you can be sure he’s into you. He’s trying to understand the kind of guys you date and whether he has a chance to be one of them.
And if he can’t help looking unhappy or jealous when you tell him about your new boyfriend, you’ve definitely figured out he has a crush on you.
10. He gives you lots of compliments
Getting a compliment from a guy at work doesn’t automatically mean he’s interested in you – he could just be being nice. But you can get more clues by thinking about what kind of compliments he’s dishing out.
If he gives you a generic compliment that would apply to anyone, then he’s probably just being friendly. For example, he might say, ‘Your hair looks great today.’
But suppose he gives you a very specific compliment about something most people would never notice. In that case, there might be more meaning behind it.
Unless he’s highly observant, it shows he’s paying very close attention to you and noticing all the little details. For example, let’s say you get a new pair of small earrings that are only subtly different from ones you already own. If he notices that, he’s spent a lot of time creating a detailed mental picture of you.
11. He always sits near you at work
If your coworker always manages to find a seat next to you in meetings, it’s a pretty obvious sign he likes you.
You can be especially sure he’s into you if he has to work harder to get to you. There might be a spare seat right in front of him, but notice if he takes the extra effort to walk around the desk or across a crowded room to be next to you.
12. He offers to help you with your work
One of the most significant signs a coworker likes you is when he offers to help you with your work. Especially if he’s got his own deadlines and he’s still willing to come to your rescue.
Offering to help you like this is a classic case of his hero instinct kicking in. He’s looking for any excuse to be your hero. He wants to feel useful to you and prove that he’s willing to step up for you. He wants to be your hero so much that he might even offer to help when you obviously don’t need it.
Check out this video on the hero instinct if you want to learn how to trigger it in your coworker.
All you need to do is make little requests of him in a particular way and tell him how much you appreciate his help. In no time at all, he’ll be willing to do anything you ask to make you happy and earn your approval.
And just to be clear – the hero instinct isn’t designed to manipulate men or get them to do things they don’t want to. All you’re doing is helping him fulfill an innate biological desire he already feels.
13. You can tell there’s sexual tension between you
Do you feel like the temperature in the room ratchets up a couple of degrees when he leans over you? Or maybe your palms get a little sweaty when you see him head in your direction.
There’s no doubt you’re feeling the sexual tension between you. Imagine what he’s feeling!
14. He dresses up for you
Have you noticed your coworker making an extra effort to look his best around you? If the change in his appearance only happened when he started spending more time with you, it’s an excellent sign he’s into you.
Most guys don’t spend too much time thinking about their appearance – unless they’re trying to impress someone.
Another sign to look out for is grooming behavior. You can tell he’s grooming if he often straightens his clothes, flicks non-existent dust off his clothes, or runs his fingers through his hair.
Also, keep an eye out for a new scent in the air. If he starts wearing a new or more powerful deodorant or cologne, it’s a good sign he’s into you.
15. If he’s your boss, does he show you favoritism?
If he’s your boss or manager, he might not be able to stop himself from showing you favoritism if he has a crush on you.
Does he give you the best shifts or the best projects to work on? Or maybe he always compliments your work even if you phoned it in.
You need to be careful if you think your boss treats you differently because he likes you. Your colleagues aren’t stupid, and they’ll quickly figure out that you’re getting special treatment.
If it happens too often, your coworkers might start to resent you. This is going to make things very uncomfortable for you at work and can damage your reputation.
16. He looks worried if you mention leaving the company
If you mention that you’re thinking about leaving the company and finding a new job, most colleagues will be excited for you or pretty indifferent. Coworkers come and go all the time, and no one takes it too personally.
But if your coworker looks like you just broke his heart, it’s definitely a sign he has a crush on you. Maybe he starts acting sulky or tries to guilt-trip you into changing your mind by telling you how essential you are. If he’s your boss, he might even hint at offering you more money or a new role if he can convince you to stay.
An ethical boss will only ever offer you perks if you genuinely deserve them, but who knows. Maybe it’s worth sticking around to see what happens.
17. He praises your work in front of managers
Hopefully, the reason you get praise at work is that you’re very good at your job. But if a coworker likes you, he might take every opportunity he can find to be your cheerleader and tell everyone how amazing you are.
This is fine, as long as it doesn’t come across like he’s sucking up to you or treating you differently from everyone else. If he constantly singles you out, you probably should have a word to him before your other colleagues start resenting you.
18. He seems nervous around you
Some people naturally have a lot of nervous energy, so you need to figure out if it’s you that’s making your coworker hot under the collar.
If he only seems to get nervous when you walk into the room, there’s a good chance he has a crush on you, especially if he’s usually a calm and confident guy who can speak to a room full of colleagues without breaking a sweat.
Common signs of nervousness to look for include fidgeting, nail-biting, sweaty palms, or constant tapping or drumming his fingers on a table. If he’s really nervous, you might even notice him taking gulping deep breaths or tripping over his words when he speaks to you.
19. He pays attention to the details
If he remembers everything you tell him and notices all the little details about you that most people miss, it’s a huge sign he’s interested. After all, a lot of guys aren’t known for being observant or paying attention to what’s around them.
He might remember your complicated coffee order after hearing it only once. Or perhaps he comments on the fact that you’re wearing a slightly different shade of lipstick.
Particular compliments are also something to look out for. Anyone can give you a generic compliment, but if he notices something that very few people would, it shows that he’s thinking about you and paying attention to the details of your life.
20. He tries to be funny around you
Most guys know that being funny is a surefire way to make a girl attracted to them. In fact, women often rate a sense of humor as the top quality they look for in a man.
So if one of your male coworkers is constantly cracking jokes and trying to make you laugh, it might be because he has an ulterior motive. The more you laugh, the better it is for his chances to date you.
Hopefully, he’s a naturally funny guy. Otherwise, it’s going to get awkward fast, and he’ll end up with a reputation for being loud and annoying.
21. He wants to eat lunch with you
If he asks you out to lunch, the important thing to notice is whether he extends the invitation to everyone else. If he only asks you, it means that he’s hoping for some one-on-one time to get to know you better.
Look, it might just be an innocent lunch, and you’re just two coworkers grabbing food together. But he might be using lunch as a sneaky date without actually asking you on a date.
If you’re interested in him too, this is a great way of getting to know him on an intimate level outside of the office environment.
22. He switches his work schedule to match yours
If your workplace has different shifts or teams that work in other company areas, moving his schedule to match yours is a great excuse for him to get more quality time with you.
He probably won’t mention anything about it because that would seem very creepy. But if you notice that more and more of his work is starting to overlap with yours, it might be because he’s trying to get closer to you.
23. He’s always asking for your help or advice
A lot of guys would never ask a coworker for help because they’re afraid of looking incompetent or weak. So if he’s always coming to you for advice, he obviously likes you and respects your skills enough to put his ego aside.
There’s no better way for him to get a lot of quality time with you and show you how much he values your opinions and abilities.
24. He has a pet name for you
If a male coworker gives you a pet name at work, he must be very confident that you’ll be okay with it. In most work environments, calling someone by a pet name would feel very unprofessional and probably earn you a trip to HR.
But if his pet name for you is a shortened version of your real name or a nickname that’s widely known, he might be able to get away with it.
25. He gets jealous
Does he get a little jealous when he sees you collaborating with another guy in your workplace? Or maybe he gets a little put out when he sees you laughing and having fun with male colleagues during Friday night drinks.
A little jealousy is okay and can even be endearing if you like him back. But if he starts to sulk or get annoyed every time you talk to another guy, this is a big red flag. He needs to remember that you’re a coworker, and he has to act professionally at all times.
26. His voice gets deeper when he talks to you
You can tell if a male coworker likes you by studying the pitch of his voice. I know, it sounds weird, right?
Women are attracted to males with deeper voices, and sometimes men subconsciously lower their voices to appear more attractive to a woman they like.
It’s usually a subtle shift in pitch, but listen out for it and see if it’s something that happens when he talks to you.
27. He copies your body language
It’s called mirroring when someone copies your mannerisms, speech patterns, or body position.
People often mirror someone subconsciously when they’re attracted to them. It’s a subtle way to build more trust and communicate a deeper connection. This makes it a great clue to look for that your coworker has a crush on you.
Some of the signs of mirroring include using the same slang words as you, positioning his body in the same way as yours, and leaning in when you lean in.
It’s worth keeping in mind that some people have trained themselves to consciously mirror others. Salespeople sometimes use it as a trick to make themselves appear more trustworthy.
28. He’s interested in your relationship status
If he has a crush on you, he’s going to be very interested in your relationship status.
He might ask if you’re single at the moment or what kind of guys you generally like to date. It might sound like he’s just trying to be friendly, but there’s definitely an ulterior motive here. The more he knows about what kind of guys you like, the better he can position himself as your perfect man.
If he’s smart, he’ll also find plenty of excuses to let it slip that he’s single as well, just in case you decide to make the first move.
29. He finds reason to see you outside work
Nothing makes him happier than finding an excuse to spend time with you outside of work. Depending on the type of work you do, this could be tricky, but if he’s keen enough, he’ll find a way.
Maybe he offers to help you with a project that requires working from home, or he helps you practice your public speaking skills. Or perhaps he offers to give you a lift to a work lunch or a company conference.
Do you like him back?
If you like him back, what are you going to do about it? It all comes down to where you work and whether having a relationship with a coworker is frowned upon.
The only time that it should be a problem is if he’s your superior in some way. If the guy who likes you is responsible for reviewing your performance or approving your pay rises, it might be an issue.
The best way to handle this situation is to talk to HR about it (if that’s an option for you).
And what if you don’t like him back? If it’s not affecting your work in any way or making you feel uncomfortable, my advice is to let it go for now. If he’s not going to bring it up, there’s no point in creating extra stress on yourself. Just make sure you don’t do anything to turn him on or let him think he has a chance.
But if he is taking his affections too far and making you feel weird, you need to tell HR or someone else senior in the company.
Hopefully though, you’ll be able to have a conversation with him and let him down easily. If he’s your boss, then you need to approach this conversation very carefully. He has professional power over you and can make life difficult for you if you somehow offend him or his ego.
