Brits get down to business, literally – office romps on the company clock
Workplace flings aren’t just the stuff of steamy TV dramas - they’re happening in offices, kitchens, and even police stations across the UK.
Whether it’s a cheeky kiss by the printer or a full-blown love affair in the office toilets, a surprising number of Brits are getting frisky at work. But just how common is it?
To find out, we conducted a survey of 2,000 adults…
Office shenanigans: How many have been putting in overtime?
Almost half of Brits (44%) admit to having an affair with someone at work – with over one in ten (11%) having done so in the last month, and almost a third (31%) of people admitting to ‘doing the deed’ at work in the last year.
Of people who have had sex while at work, it was:
- In the past year but longer than a month ago – 31%
- In the past three years but longer than a year ago – 16%
- In the past month – 11%
- Three to five years ago – 10.1%
- 10-20 years ago – 9.8%
Millennials (25–34-year-olds) seem to be the biggest culprits for an office quickie, with a whopping 71% confessing to an ‘office romp’.
But don’t think the older generations are out of the game – more than a quarter (26%) of over-65s say they’ve had a work fling too.
Whether it’s because men actually have more office flings or are just less discreet about them, they were more likely to admit to having an affair at work (48%) than women (40%).
Who’s getting hot and heavy on the company clock?
When it comes to having sex at work, some pairings are more common than others.
Shockingly, interns and grads are the most likely to be involved in a steamy office encounter (21%), while over one in six (16%) paired up with someone they see every working day from their own team.
Nearly 14% have even hooked up with their boss!
And let’s not even get started on those getting involved with their boss’s boss - a similar number (14%) admitted to having sex with their boss’s senior.
Of those who have had a sexual relationship with someone at work, it was most often with:
Which jobs mix work and pleasure the most?
It turns out some workers are much more likely to hook up with their colleagues than others.
Marketing professionals are the top occupation for a workplace fling, with an astounding 84% confessing to cosying up with a co-worker.
Health workers, including doctors and nurses, seem to have caught a fever for doing it on the job, as three-quarters (77%) admitted they’ve had sex with a colleague.
Next, it appears police officers are also arrested by workplace passion, with over three-quarters (77%) saying they have become hot and heavy at work.
Looking specifically at the public sector, doctors and nurses were named the top occupations most likely to have sex with someone at work (77%).
With our research last year indicating firefighters were both the sexiest occupation and the best in bed, it’s no surprise that firefighters (67%) followed police officers (77%).
Placing fourth, dentists too are drilling down on ‘romance’ in the workplace (33%), and teachers ranked fifth as the occupation busy with steamy, extracurricular activities (29%).
Public sector workers most likely to admit to a workplace fling
- Doctor, nurse or health worker: 77%
- Police officer: 76.5%
- Firefighter: 67%
- Dentist: 33%
- Teacher: 29%
Where exactly are Brits getting down to business?
With nearly half the nation confessing to a workplace encounter, it’s no surprise that fooling around with a co-worker goes beyond boozy after-work drinks.
In fact, it seems some Brits are getting up to no good in the office itself, during working hours.
The office toilets came out as the most likely location for steamy liaisons (22%), while the main office space was the second most likely (20%).
The office car park (13%) was another popular place for Brits to live out their workplace affair.
Stolen stares in meetings lead to meeting rooms being another popular place (9%) and for some, the storeroom (8%) was discreet enough to tempt them.
Of people who have had sex while at work, the most common locations were:
- The office toilets – 22%
- In the office itself – 20%
- The office car park – 13%
- In a meeting room – 9%
- In a storeroom – 8%
Loo-dicrous Liaisons: The Jobs Most Likely to Get Steamy in the Toilets
It turns out some jobs are also more prone to steamy toilet encounters than others.
Chefs lead the way when it comes to unconventional workplace breaks (48%), and two in five marketers (40%) confess to having sex with a co-worker in the office toilets.
Among those also keen for a saucy toilet break are graphic designers (36%), doctors (34%) and lawyers (25%) – let’s just hope they remember to wash their hands afterwards!
Occupations most likely to have sex in the toilets
- Chef 48%
- Marketing 40%
- Graphic Designer 36%
- Doctors 34%
- Lawyer 25%
Britain’s sauciest cities
Our research showed that it’s not just about professions, but where you live might also influence your chances of a workplace fling.
Manchester takes the crown for the most likely to admit to a workplace fling, with over two thirds (67%) confessing they’ve hooked up with someone from work.
On the other side of the Pennines, residents in Leeds are the most likely to have had sex at work in the past month, with almost a third (28%) admitting to doing so.
Further up north, one in 20 (5%) people in Newcastle have had a fling with someone working in their HR department.
And some are keeping things strictly business, like those in Edinburgh, with over three-quarters (78%) having never had a workplace fling, ranking it the ‘most professional’ city in the UK.
Real confessions from the office
Sometimes, workplace hook ups have a happy ending, but other times, they’re a total disaster.
We searched the internet to find some real-life stories on having an affair with someone from work.
For our first confession from a workplace romantic, things didn’t end up going so well…
For our second confession though, a workplace fling can be just the thing for a lifetime of happiness!
That isn’t always the case though, with some people getting their fingers burnt, like our third confession…
Our conclusion
Our research has found workplace flings are incredibly common, especially in industries like marketing, healthcare, and law enforcement, which are hotbeds for hookups with a colleague.
Whether it’s a fling with an intern in the office toilets or a secret rendezvous with their boss’ boss in the office car park, many Brits have had their fair share of workplace encounters.
While some end in happy-ever-afters, others result in awkward encounters and HR disasters!
Workplace relationships can be exciting, but they come with risks when not followed with caution. Think carefully!
