33 subtle signs to know if a male coworker likes you

You have this feeling that a male coworker of yours likes you, and you want to find out if this is indeed the case.

According to a recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management, workplace romance is actually something quite common and expected, with 50% of responders stating that they had a crush on a coworker in the past.

So how can you tell if your male coworker has a crush on you? There are many signs (some obvious, some not so much) that could indicate that your male coworker is attracted to you and is starting to develop romantic feelings for you.

Here we will look at 33 common signs that might indicate that a male coworker likes you romantically.

However, keep in mind that just one or two signs of attraction could easily be misinterpreted.

That is why you need to look for a whole cluster of signs and behaviors to determine whether your male coworker likes you or is just being friendly.

How to know if a male coworker likes you?

1. He stares at you

If you catch your male coworker staring at you a lot, then this could be a sign that he likes you. Why else would he be looking at you so often?

If you accidentally meet their gaze and he quickly turns away, then this could be a strong indicator that he likes you. He was staring at you, you caught him off guard, and he instinctively turned away, knowing that he was caught in the act.

2. He gets nervous around you

Among the signs that a male coworker likes you but is hiding it is nervousness. Your coworker becomes all nervous and quiet when you are around.

Among the body language signs a male coworker likes you is taking a defensive stance with folded arms.

This is typical for people who are shy and lack confidence. He might even stutter a bit when he talks to you, so go easy on them.

3. He is eager to introduce himself to you

If the guy is confident, then he might take the initiative and introduce himself to you.

While this is courteous in case you haven't been formally introduced, you can gauge their approach and observe how he behaves during this brief exchange.

4. He speaks to you often

This man takes every opportunity to speak to you. In the elevator, the lunch area, and in the office before or after team meetings, he is always near you and ready to chat about anything.

Work, the weather, the most recent world crisis, he is ready to engage in a lengthy, thoughtful conversation with you no matter what.

5. He brings you things

He might bring you a cup of coffee or a small snack. He might bring you a book you talked about recently.

These small gestures suggest that the guy is thinking about you often and he wants to show you that he cares about you.

6. He talks to you about things outside of work

If he talks to you about topics that are not related to your work projects, then this indicates that he has an interest in you.

He wants to learn about your thoughts and opinions about certain topics which means that he cares about what you think.

7. He asks you personal questions

If he wants to know where you grew up, where you graduated, if you have any siblings, or anything else that is personal, then this is usually a strong sign of interest.

The guy wants you to open up and share more about yourself, so he can form a stronger bond with you that goes beyond the semi-personal coworker relationship.

8. He talks to you more than anyone else

You might notice he doesn’t chat with other coworkers as much as he does with you.

The conversations he has with other people at work are still polite and friendly, but he doesn't behave the same way as he does when he speaks to you.

9. He smiles around you

The exchanges he has with you, no matter how brief and shallow, always bring a smile to his face.

This is an indication that he is always happy to see you and he likes you.

10. He gets close to you when you speak

The guy is so attracted to you that he wants to bring their body closer to yours when you are having a conversation.

He wants to shorten the distance and experience you in more than one way.

11. He has a nickname for you

Do you know how couples often have nicknames for each other? The guy might come up with a special nickname just for you. Something name that only he calls you by.

This is significant because he is trying to introduce a new level of familiarity and intimacy between you.

12. He touches you often

Physical contact is a strong sign of attraction. But what does it look like in the context of the office environment?

During a conversation, he might casually pat you on the back as he encourages you about something, or he might pretend to punch your shoulder after you make a joke.

Don't be fooled by the innocence of these gestures. He is using every opportunity to touch you.

13. He tries to impress you

Naturally, if the guy likes you, then he will do their best to impress you.

When he talks about himself, he might say something that reveals more about their social status or professional achievements.

Or he might blatantly brag about something in hopes of catching your attention.

14. He compliments you

The guy might realize that it would be inappropriate to tell you how hot you are. But he might give you subtle clues about what he is thinking about.

He might compliment your outfit and your perfume or ask if you've been going to the gym lately to hint that he likes your body.

15. He notices the little things about you

He is the first to congratulate you on your new haircut. Or he might notice that you are wearing a new pair of glasses.

This suggests that he pays attention to you. He notices the little things; therefore, he is watching you closely because he likes you.

16. He tries to make you laugh

When you engage in conversation, he starts to crack jokes or speak in a sarcastic way that makes you laugh.

Guys often resort to comedy when they want to provoke the interest of somebody they like.

17. He laughs and becomes happy around you

In return, this man finds your jokes quite funny, too. He laughs at your jokes (sometimes a little too hard).

He is always in a good mood when you are around. This is probably because he is getting butterflies in his stomach from all the emotions he is experiencing when you are near.

18. You have inside jokes

With time and regular conversations, you start to develop your own range of inside jokes. These are jokes that only you and he get.

You are starting to create your very own little world at work, filled with communications and dynamics that only the two of you understand. This is a sign of bonding.

19. He shares personal details about himself

As you get closer, he starts to open up about their personal life. He might tell you things like where he grew up, what he was like as a child, and so on.

Eventually, he might mention that he is single. This is a strong indicator that he wants you to know that he is available for dating.

20. He teases you

He isn't always too nice to you. Sometimes he is a little bit mean, and sometimes he teases you a little.

What he is doing is a psychological push and pull, trying to make you feel a wide range of emotions so that you would get attached to him.

21. He is protective of you

A situation might arise where he becomes your knight in shining armor. He might “man up” and protect you, be it from a verbal attack or some kind of conflict at work.

22. He does favors for you

When you need help with something, he is the first to respond. And if you ask him to do something for you, he wouldn’t hesitate.

This person is going out of their way to help you, this surely means something.

23. Your work schedules are aligned

Isn't it a bit weird that your work schedules were different in the beginning, but now he matches perfectly?

Is it possible that he changed their work schedule just to spend more time with you? Well, if he has a crush on you, then this explains everything!

24. He invites you to after-work outings

This guy wants to spend some time with you outside of work. The perfect excuse to do so would be a coworker gathering after work.

If you are single and you find this person interesting, then it would be smart of you to go to the gathering and get to know them outside of work.

25. He contacts you outside of work

One of the strongest indicators of interest is when the guy contacts you outside of work. He might follow you on social media, send you private messages, or even call you in case he has your number.

26. He gives you social media attention

He might like some of your selfies, react to your stories, or even leave a comment on one of your posts.

This indicates that he has been through your social media profile. He is probably checking out your pictures.

27. He tries to figure out if you are single

In case your Facebook profile doesn’t specify your relationship status, then your male coworker might try to figure out if you are single or taken.

He might try to lead a conversation in a direction in which you are expected to mention if you are in a relationship or not.

28. He clarifies that other women are just friends

When he talks about other women, he explicitly states that he is just friends or acquaintances.

This is another way for them to hint at the fact that he is not in a relationship and he is available for dating.

29. He gets jealous when you mention other men

You might notice that he becomes dark and moody when you talk about other men. Maybe he is betraying a little bit of jealousy?

Well, if he is jealous, then this is a strong indicator that he has developed some kind of romantic interest in you.

30. He asks if you will be going to the company party

He wants to know if you will be going to an event where you will be able to talk and have fun outside of the office.

Company gatherings are perfect occasions for coworkers who like each other to communicate and get to know each other a little better.

31. He asks you to hang out casually

You might receive a sudden invitation from the guy to hang out. He might suggest going to see a movie or just grabbing a cup of coffee.

Is this a date? They might be able to ask you out in a totally non-awkward and casual way

32. He treats you differently compared to other coworkers

All the previous signs come down to one single logical conclusion. He treats you differently compared to how he treats other coworkers (especially the women) in the office.

Naturally, this is the strongest indicator that something is indeed going on, and he likes you.

33. He flirts with you

And last but not least, another sure sign that your male coworker likes you is if he openly and apologetically flirts with you.

Yes, this might be inappropriate if he is doing it at the office, but he might not care. Men could be bold, totally ignoring company policy and polite work etiquette when they are being led by strong feelings.

Or, he might get the chance to flirt with you outside of work, during a company gathering, or if you have agreed to a casual outing.

My advice on figuring out if a male coworker likes you

Once again, it is important to look for multiple signs that indicate attraction as just one or could mislead you.

The next best thing is to give it some time. If a male coworker likes you, they will continue with their advances.

If you like them back and want to get to know them outside of work, then you can ask them out casually without making it awkward.

However, make sure to check what is your company's policy on coworkers dating.