Workplace sexting ‘more common than people would admit,’ dating therapist says

Employees increasingly looking for escapism, survey shows

Published Jun 21, 2026  •  2 minute read

A survey of 2,000 adults by Dating.com suggests that employees are increasingly looking for distraction and escapism during their workdays. Photo by file photo /Getty images

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If you think your co-worker in the cubicle next door is on a work call, think again.

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OK, hold on, he or she may be doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing, but according to Dating.com they may also be doing something naughty that isn’t exactly safe for the workplace.

What once may have been a late-night flirtation is no longer as a survey of 2,000 adults by the dating app suggests that employees are increasingly looking for distraction and escapism during their workdays.

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Google searches for “things to do when you’re bored at work” have also surged by 648%, which could mean that digital intimacy is fast becoming not just a way for people to maintain attraction, seek validation and cheat, but also make the time go by a little faster while at work.

“It’s more common than people would admit,” Jaime Bronstein, resident therapist at Dating.com, told the Toronto Sun.

“Phones have blurred the lines between personal and professional lives, making it easy to have these kinds of conversations throughout the day. People don’t necessarily plan to sext during the day – it is often an ongoing conversation with their partner that spills into work hours.”

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About 20% of workers admitted to sexting while on the clock, while one in 20 respondents confessed to going a step further and had sexted a colleague in the same office.

The findings also suggested that the risque behaviour could be more common than many employers realize with 25% of respondents admitting they often sext while working.

But despite the mischievous messaging, the employees who were guilty of it said it didn’t affect their duties with 20% saying they believed their efficiency had not been affected.

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“The thrill always adds to the appeal, but is not the centre of it. Sexting can be a way to maintain a connection or build a stronger one,” Bronstein said.

“People use flirtation and intimacy to stay connected during the busy workday to keep the spark in their relationship alive. It is not surprising that in an era when everyone is digitally connected, sexting continues during work hours.”

Simply put, it’s their way of helping the workday fly by with a little more excitement as 22% said it allowed them to explore fantasies they would never act on in real life.

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Another 13% admitted they enjoyed the fact they could “log out whenever they want,” meaning what happened at work stayed at work.

There will always be sexters who refuse to back down or simply don’t care what their employers might say; however, professionalism, privacy and consent is where the focus should be, Bronstein pointed out.

“People should remember that work devices may not be private and colleagues may be privy to their conversations or texts,” she said. “If workers choose to sext during work hours, they should do so in accordance with workplace policies, ensure mutual consent and avoid situations that could compromise professional responsibilities.”

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