Think aloud
Wondering how to tell whether a male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly? Are there any signs that can give him away and help you understand what’s really going on between the two of you?
Worry no more because this article is perfect for you.
It often happens that at some point in your business career, you meet a guy at work and it looks as if he’s sending you mixed signals.
It looks like his behavior is crossing the line of a coworker relationship but still, things aren’t as clear as you would like them to be. You aren’t sure whether he actually likes you or if he’s just being nice to you.
The thought keeps eating you alive because you have no idea how to act around him.
Maybe you like him too and are thinking about making the next move.
Because of that, you want to be sure that you’re on the same page so you don’t make a fool out of yourself.
Or you think that he’s being unprofessional and want to warn him about his behavior.
But if he’s just being friendly then you shouldn’t be making a big deal out of it.
That’s why you might be so interested to find out if there’s a way to tell whether your male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly with you.
Thankfully, it’s not that hard to figure out men’s feelings. They’re not very good at hiding their real emotions so this won’t be a hard task.
The main point is that you should know what to look out for, and that’s what I can help you with.
The following signs will easily tell you whether your male coworker likes you or if he’s being friendly with you.
If there’s a secret intention behind his behavior, you’ll soon find out about it.
17 signs that tell you whether a male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly with you!
Usually, men are unable to hide their feelings for a long time. Their actions give them away sooner than they would like.
That’s why it won’t be hard to find out whether your coworker actually likes you and sees you as more than a friend.
You just need to know what to look for.
Get ready to find out the truth – is he being nice or is he really into you? This dilemma needs to be solved right now.
1. He likes you if he looks for ways to stay in touch with you
If you want to tell whether your male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly then pay attention to the amount of effort he puts into trying to stay in touch with you.
A friendly coworker will be nice to you while you’re at work, so he might help you with work-related things and lead a casual conversation with you but that’s about it.
The moment you leave for the day, he won’t look for ways to meet you outside of the workplace.
But if he likes you, he’ll come up with every possible option to spend some time with you away from where you work.
He might invite you to grab a coffee, go hit the cinema or take a course together.
There’s a chance that he’ll make excuses that he’s calling you because he needs to discuss something work-related with you.
This is a great way for him to motivate to you accept his invitation because he still isn’t ready to admit openly that he likes you.
And if he protects himself by letting you know that you’ll discuss work, he’s thinking that you won’t see through his actions.
2. He showers you with questions
If you want to tell whether your male coworker likes you or if he’s simply being friendly with you, then pay attention to the questions he asks.
Does he want to know everything about you?
He seems like an inexhaustible source of questions, as he keeps asking you about things that coworkers usually don’t talk about.
Things can get personal because he’s fond of you, and when men find themselves in a situation like that, they want to know everything about the woman they have fallen for.
A friendly coworker might ask you a thing or two about a project you’re working on.
He might ask you if you need any help with it, but that’s about it.
On the flip side, a coworker who wants to be more than a friend will drain you with questions and absorb your answers as if his life depends upon it.
That’s how a man works when he finds himself a woman he likes. He wants to find out everything about her, and he makes sure to do that.
3. He compliments you often
We don’t compliment people we don’t like and when it comes to getting compliments from your coworkers, there are always certain things that they never praise you for because it crosses the line of being professional.
That’s why it’s easy to tell when a male coworker likes you and is being more than friendly – when his compliments become too obvious and too often.
Every day you go to work, he greets you with a compliment, like:
“You look nice today,” “I love your hair,” or, “That color suits you perfectly.”
When things like these are said by a male coworker, it’s obvious that he isn’t just being friendly with you.
Guys usually don’t pay attention to details so if he gives you a compliment about something specific, know that he made a lot of effort to notice that.
And friendly male coworkers don’t go that far.
4. Everything you say sounds interesting to him
Does he look zoned out every time you’re the one who’s speaking?
Does he look you in the eyes and focus on every single word that comes out of your mouth?
And does it look like everything you say sounds extremely interesting to him?
If you told a joke that no one else found funny, be sure that he would be the one laughing out loud as if he just heard the funniest line ever.
Or if you’re talking about something that happened to you on your way to work, he’ll remain focused, like you’re telling him the most amusing story ever.
That’s a good way to tell whether a male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly with you.
The difference is more than obvious and you can’t miss it.
5. He likes you if he tries to impress you
Men are like that. When they meet a woman they like, they make sure to do everything they can just to impress her.
Sometimes, this attempt to make her fall for him can turn out to be a mistake, but no matter what, he can’t resist the temptation.
If he wants you to fall for him, he’ll try to show off in front of you.
If you notice that your male coworker has been bragging about himself, his skills, and possessions, it’ll be easy to tell that he likes you and isn’t just being friendly with you.
He’s probably trying to convince you that he’s a nice guy and that you should give him a chance.
He’ll walk around flaunting himself, trying to get your attention, and hopeful that you’ll notice him.
He might even do something stupid or unnecessary. But because he likes you, he probably won’t even realize that he’s making a fool out of himself.
6. He can’t stop smiling when he’s with you
If you want to tell whether your male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly with you then pay attention to his behavior when he’s around you.
Does he keep smiling all the time?
The moment he looks at you, a subtle smile appears on his face and when you say something, his smile gets bigger but he acts fast and camouflages it with his hand or a head turn.
Usually, if a guy keeps smiling every time he finds himself in your company, the chances are that he’s fond of you.
He can’t control it so he always ends up with a smile on his face.
If he was just being friendly, he would smile at your jokes (but only the funny ones) and that’s about it.
He probably won’t be staring at you with a half-hidden smile on his face.
7. His behavior changes when you’re around
It’s obvious that guys love to impress the women they like.
They love to know that their actions make you fall in love with them, which is why you might notice a change in his behavior whenever he’s in your company.
If your coworker has always been the quiet type, someone who doesn’t talk unless it’s necessary, that might change now.
Instead of silence, you’ll hear more and more words coming out of his mouth.
Or if he’s a talkative guy who’s always in the center of attention, that might change as well.
Faced with the fact that you might not like men like that, he may worry and calm his behavior down.
He may get scared that he will say something wrong and ruin any possibility of winning you over.
So, he changes his tactics and becomes a quiet guy for as long as it takes him to understand what your preferences in men are.
If something like this happens, it’ll be easy to tell that a male coworker likes you and isn’t just being nice to you.
8. Apparently, he likes the same things as you
It doesn’t seem like a coincidence if he likes literally everything you like.
Apparently, your favorite band is also his favorite, he loves the same books as you do, and his favorite thing to do is go shopping – just like yours.
When a man starts to realize that he likes a girl, he changes his behavior so that it fits hers.
This might result in him acting like he loves everything she does.
This is usually because he’s looking for a way to start a conversation about the things she enjoys, as it gives him more opportunities with her.
It’s no surprise that he might even dedicate his free time to the things he knows you like just so he can talk to you about them.
So, if you notice that your male coworker apparently likes the same things as you, it’ll be easy to tell that he also likes you and is being more than friendly with you.
9. He likes you if he leans in when talking to you
Body language is something that can’t be controlled.
It’s an instant reaction that’s a result of our surroundings and the feelings it evokes in us at that moment.
So, when you’re sitting with someone you dislike, you’ll pull your body away from that person.
But it also means that when you’re sitting with someone you like, you’ll lean in to get as close to them as possible.
If you’re trying to tell whether your male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly with you, pay attention to his body language.
Does he lean in every time he’s in your company and you’re the one who’s talking?
If he does, it’s a sign that he’s fond of you. His move gives you a clue that he wants to be sure that he won’t miss out on anything you say.
He wants to be certain that he’ll hear you properly so he can remember every single detail you share with him.
10. He’s being more than friendly if he acts jealous
Jealousy doesn’t usually go together with the term friend. It’s something we associate with boyfriends, husbands, or crushes.
That’s why it’s not usual to see that your coworker is jealous because you’re talking to another guy or because you mentioned that you went out on a date.
Those things shouldn’t be their problem.
Watch closely – does he roll his eyes every time you mention the name of a random guy?
Does he ask you questions about a guy he saw you with? Does he tell you that other guys aren’t good enough for you?
If the answers are yes, then it’s easy to see the truth – your male coworker likes you and he’s being more than friendly with you.
His jealousy is a result of unreturned attention. If only you would give him a chance, you would make him the happiest man alive.
11. He helps you solve all your problems
Guys love to be seen as heroes. They come into our life and save the day by doing everything they can to solve any issues.
It’s a part of male instinct and it’s something they can’t escape.
So, if your male coworker has been a problem-solver every time you needed help with literally anything, you should be able to tell that he likes you and is being more than just friendly.
If he was just being friendly, he would help you with your problems only when it was convenient to him.
But he would never leave everything he’s dealing with just so you can see him as a knight in shining armor.
He wants you to see him as a good guy who will be there for you every time you need his help.
12. He gets nervous when he’s around you
Even though men usually act all tough, deep down they’re nervous when it comes to winning a girl’s heart.
They’re afraid of making the wrong move and losing her forever.
This is usually seen in his body language as that’s something he can’t control.
He might start fidgeting when he’s around you, straightening his clothes, or playing with his hands.
He does everything it takes to get his mind off the idea that he could ruin things if he says the wrong word.
It’s obvious that a male coworker who’s just being friendly with you wouldn’t be nervous because of something he might say.
That feeling is reserved for someone who likes you and wants to win your heart.
13. He likes you if he mirrors your actions
You lean forward and he does the same, you take a step back and he follows your lead.
It gets to the point where you get annoyed because he’s obviously doing everything you are.
When you want to know how to tell whether a male coworker likes you or if he’s just being friendly with you, this is something to look out for.
If you notice that he’s mirroring your actions and repeating things after you, it’s a clear sign that he’s fond of you.
He might be shy about telling you how he feels or maybe your presence makes him nervous.
Because of that, he starts doing everything you do, thinking that you’ll see that the two of you are alike.
We never mirror the actions of people we don’t like. That behavior is reserved for people we have an interest in.
You would never mirror the actions of your worst enemy. At the same time, you’ll always follow the lead of a good friend.
It’s simple math that can ease your life if you know what to look for.
14. He likes you if he remembers everything you say
It’s a well-known fact that guys usually don’t remember everything a woman tells them.
This is especially when it comes to the things they don’t care about.
I mean, they even forget birthdays and anniversaries, let alone anything else.
However, you’ve noticed that your coworker remembers every detail that you share with him.
Even the most insignificant things that you yourself don’t remember telling him.
If this is the case with your coworker, then it’s obvious that he likes you and isn’t just being friendly with you.
Friendly coworkers don’t focus on every single word that comes out of your mouth.
They don’t absorb all the things you say and store them in their long-term memory.
But when a man likes you, he’ll most likely do that.
He’ll make sure to remember everything you say because he feels something for you and wants to show you that he’s a good listener who deserves a chance.
15. He’s protective
This is not just your coworker, as he also acts as your protector. He’s someone to save you from others and from the dark world outside.
If you’re having a discussion with other coworkers, he’ll pick your side and defend you.
He’ll walk you to your car, just in case, and offer you his jacket so you aren’t cold.
His small gestures of kindness will show you that he’s trying to be your savior.
If that happens, I can tell you with certainty that your male coworker likes you and isn’t just being nice to you.
This is especially if you notice that he acts like this only when he’s with you. None of the other female coworkers get this amount of attention from him.
You’re the only one because you’re special in his eyes.
He feels that the two of you could make things work if only you would see all of the signs he’s giving you.
16. He ‘accidentally’ touches you
Every time the two of you are sitting or standing close to each other, he makes sure to ‘accidentally‘ touch you.
It’s happened on multiple occasions and you aren’t so sure that you can see this as a coincidence anymore.
He makes sure to sit next to you so he can tap your shoulder, graze your knee, or wipe a speck of dust from your coat.
When you’re walking into a meeting, he walks right next to you and accidentally brushes your hand.
If you notice that this keeps repeating, then it’s obvious that he’s doing it on purpose.
I can tell you that your male coworker likes you and isn’t just being friendly with you.
It’s obvious that his behavior is a result of his internal need to have you close to him all the time.
That’s why he seems to be next to you every time you turn around and he seems to accidentally touch you multiple times a day.
17. He flirts with you
It doesn’t get any more obvious than this, but once your coworker starts flirting with you, there’s no need to ask yourself if he’s fond of you.
By this time, probably everyone around you can see what’s going on.
And if you’re still blind to the truth then I’m going to tell you – your male coworker likes you and he’s being more than just friendly.
It even got to the point where he started flirting with you and you still think that he’s just being nice to you.
Trust me, he’s showering you with signs that he’s fond of you, and he even started flirting with you, hoping that you’ll finally realize what’s going on.
His flirting is the last resort. It’s the one thing that will make him or break him.
