You may suspect your boss likes you, but you are not sure.
Maybe you have seen signs your boss likes you but is hiding it, so you feel confused.
Well, it is normal for your boss to want to hide their feelings for you, whether romantic or platonic.
This is to ensure that they remain professional and fair to other employees.
So if your boss has not told you yet, but you suspect they like you, here are some ways to know:
22 Signs Your Boss Likes You But Is Hiding It
1. They Give You Extra Attention
This is one of the easiest ways to know that your boss likes you.
They pay extra attention to you and are more attentive to you than they are to others.
If you have noticed that your boss concentrates on you more than they do on other employees, you have a sign.
They may try to hide how they feel about you, but their attentiveness can easily give them away.
2. They Act Differently Around You
Your boss acting differently around you is another simple way to detect their feelings for you.
There is no rule to this.
They may act more professionally or more relaxed.
However, if you notice they are different when you are present but act “normal” with the others, this can be a sign that your boss likes you and wants you to see them a certain way.
3. They Find Excuses To Be Around You
Another way to know that your boss likes you even though they may be hiding it is they create occasions to have you around.
If you have been wondering why your name always comes up as the person going on the official trip with your boss or who has to stay back and work with them, now you know.
Your boss may not tell you they like you or make it known at work, but their actions will give them away.
Creating excuses to see you is one of them.
4. They Invite You To Lunch Or After-work Events
They may make it look harmless and normal to prevent you from suspecting, but they always have something informal to invite you to attend.
If your boss invites you to an event outside of work, lunch, or hanging out, they try to spend more time with you.
Usually, this is because they have a liking for you.
To hide it, they may invite other colleagues of yours, but you can tell from your boss’ behavior that you are the reason they got invited.
5. They Ask About Your Personal Life
It is not unusual for a good boss to be concerned about their employee’s personal life and well-being because it affects their work output.
But bosses try to remain professional and not uninvolved in their employees’ personal lives.
If you have noticed your boss asking about your personal life, it may be because they like you and are trying to know you better.
6. They Ask For Your Opinion
Another way you can tell that your boss likes you is they respect your judgment.
As a boss, they do not have to seek your opinion or that of others.
And even when they do, you would expect them to welcome everybody’s opinion, but instead, you notice that they are more concerned about what you have to say than anyone else.
If your boss keeps asking for your opinion or input on decisions, projects, or tasks, you may have a sign that they like you.
7. They Give You More Autonomy
Your boss may like you, but hiding it may give them away by how much autonomy they give to you.
They may like you so much that they trust your judgment and will let you work unsupervised even when monitoring you is the best decision.
If your boss allows you to work independently, puts you in charge of the decision-making, or gives you other types of autonomy at work, it is a sign that they trust you and highly regard your abilities.
This can be a sign that they like you.
8. They Give You Positive Feedback
If your boss likes you but is trying to hide it, they may not come out outright to say it, but they will try to encourage and boost your confidence somehow.
Giving you positive feedback is one of them.
Your boss may not remember to commend everyone that does well at work, but when it is you, he does not forget not to fail to let you know that you have done well.
9. They Give You Extra Responsibilities
Although you may not like this, it can show that your boss likes you.
If your boss gives you extra responsibilities, it can be due to certain reasons.
They want to have you around more, so they give you work to keep you busy and around them.
Or they trust your abilities and want to allow you to prove yourself.
10. They Defend You Before Others
Another not-too-subtle sign that your boss likes you is they defend you.
Instead of sitting back and watching someone criticize you, they immediately rise to your defense.
This is because they like you and are showing loyalty toward you.
10. They Treat You Specially
If your boss gives you preferential treatment, like excusing your lapses, letting you work from home, giving you access to opportunities and projects, or leading teams, it may be a sign that they like you.
It is not a preferential treatment or anything special if the perks are strictly related to your skill and performance at work.
Your boss may be trying to encourage your hard work and motivate you to do better for the company.
But if they give you opportunities you do not deserve and ignore your lapses, they are showing favoritism towards you, and it may be because they like you and do not want to ruin their chances.
11. They Make Time For You Outside Of Work
You are not entitled to your boss’ attention or time outside work hours and the work environment.
A great boss may not have a problem creating time for you outside work hours, but there will be limits.
When your boss likes you, on the other hand, they will be more than glad to make time for you outside of work.
They will be very open to taking your calls outside of work hours or even initiating one by themselves that is not work-related.
You may notice that they go further by inviting you to after-work events or scheduling meetings outside of working hours.
All of these signs show that they are trying to spend more time with you and may have a liking for you.
12. They Touch You In A Non-Professional Way
It is not unusual for a proud boss to pat an employee on the back for a job well done from time to time.
But most bosses would rather avoid that and remain professional by verbally commending employees.
When your boss likes you, you may notice that they touch you, especially in unprofessional ways.
It can be as simple as a pat on the back to as personal as touching your arm or shoulder.
Be aware that if you feel uncomfortable when touched, you can politely step back to establish boundaries.
You do not have to remain uncomfortable just because they are your boss.
But just in case you were wondering why they are touching you, it probably is because they are trying to establish a more personal connection with you.
After all, they like you.
13. They Stay In Touch
If your boss stays in touch with you even outside of work, it may be a sign that they like you.
You may notice that they send regular emails, texts, or calls even when they do not have to.
This is a sign that your boss is trying to keep a connection with you because they like you.
14. They Compliment You Privately
If your boss admires your outfit or something else about you, they may not readily vocalize it among people.
They may privately tell you or even text it to you.
If you get frequent private compliments from your boss, no matter how subtle, you have a sign that your boss likes you but is trying to hide it.
14. They Support You
Every good boss offers support to their employees and encourages their work.
But if the support your getting from your boss is higher than what they give others, there may be something special there.
You may notice that your boss goes out of their way to offer you extra support and provide more resources to grow and execute projects.
This may be a sign they are encouraging your work, but it can also show that they like you and want to see you succeed.
15. They Remember Personal Details About You
Remembering your birthday is not part of your boss’ job description.
Neither is calling you to find out about your health.
But your boss does it regardless.
If you have noticed that your boss remembers important details about you, like your hobbies, dislikes, or birthday, it is because they are paying attention to you.
16. They Give You Credit For Your Work
A boss who recognizes your work and gives you credit for it may just be a good boss.
But when they emphasize your good work, give you credit for it, and try to make sure others are aware of your contributions, it shows that they are trying to promote your work; and it could be because they like you.
17. They Make An Effort To Be Near You
Your boss can try to be close to you by asking you to follow them on official trips, meetings, and so on, even when your presence there is unnecessary.
If your boss has started involving you in many meetings, especially where you are not needed, it might be because they want to spend more time with you.
They may not get to talk to you at the meeting, but your presence gives your boss many excuses to engage you in conversation afterward.
18. They Come To You For Advice
Apart from generally seeking your opinion as a staff, your boss may come to you personally or even privately ask for advice.
It may be an innocent action because they trust your judgment, but if it is out of character for your boss to do that, they may try to deepen your connection and have a more personal relationship with you.
All you have to do is give your honest and well-considered opinion, especially when it is work-related.
If the questions are personal, you can give your opinion too, but you are not mandated to answer.
19. They Are Tough On You
Ironic right?
Your boss being tough on you can be another sign that they like you.
The toughness is like a mask to hide their feelings.
While you may feel bad about their harsh criticism, extra work on you, and withholding commendation from you, it may all just be a cover.
If you are not doing well at work, then there is a high chance your boss needs you to step up your game.
But if you are sure that your work is excellent and of a high standard, something is going on.
Beyond the “tough love”, your boss may like you.
20. They Ignore You
Another way your boss may hide their feelings for you is by ignoring you.
They are not ignoring you because they cannot see but because they see you clearly and do not want to give themselves away.
If you have noticed signs that your boss likes you, but suddenly, they start ignoring you, do not get confused.
It is just another way your boss is trying to hide their romantic feelings.
21. You See Clear Signs
Although your boss may try to hide the fact that they like you, you may still see some clear but involuntary signs.
Some of these signs include:
- They laugh at your jokes.
- Their eyes light up when you step into the room.
- They stare at you.
- They compare you with your coworkers and tell you how great you are.
- They notice little things about you.
- They get jealous when you get close to other people.
These signs can be involuntary.
Your boss thinks they are hiding their feelings well but does not know these subtle signs already give them away.
22. Your Colleagues Whisper
Even though your boss may try to hide their feelings, they may still show somehow, and your coworkers will know it and gossip.
It may even be that your boss has mistakenly let the cat out of the bag, and other staff are talking about it, so your boss decides to hide their liking for you.
Final words
This is a sensitive situation because many of these signs may be due to many other genuine or innocent reasons and not necessarily because your boss has a liking for you.
So tread cautiously and keenly observe until the signs become very obvious.
You do not want to start nursing romantic thoughts about your boss when all they try to do is have a positive working relationship with you.
Also, remember that if you have confirmed your boss likes you, or you are even the one trying to approach your boss, think deeply about it.
Consider the professional risks involved and be sure to find out the ethical concerns of dating a superior.
You do not want to risk your career, so it is a good idea to speak to an HR representative or a lawyer before making any decisions.