People with these jobs are most likely to cheat on you: Tracey Cox reveals the 5 professions most prone to infidelity (including one you weren’t expecting!)

By William On Apr 10, 2024

It’s impossible to predict who will play out and who won’t, but it’s easy to guess where this is most likely to happen.

Work.

It is common knowledge that a large majority of cases – even 85 percent – start on the shop floor. This is because it offers a deadly combination of three factors – temptation, opportunity and boredom – that significantly increase the likelihood of cheating.

A groundbreaking study shows that one in five employees admit to cheating on a colleague, with late nights at the office, late-night conferences and drunken office parties increasing the temptation.

People cheat most at work for all kinds of reasons.

British relationship expert Tracey Cox explains why certain jobs make you more likely to cheat (stock image)

It makes the day a lot more exciting and it is the place where we meet and get close to people other than our partners.

Are certain professions more likely to facilitate and encourage infidelity than others? Without any doubt.

Are the factors that attract people to certain jobs also indicative of the likelihood that someone will cheat? Absolute.

This is how I was able to compile this list of the professions that have (and attract) the most cheaters.

A word of warning before you read the list: it is speculative and based on probability, not fact. Not all pilots and bankers cheat – even though they are much more likely to do so.

Yes, the cliché is true…

PILOTS AND FLIGHT CREW

If you asked the average person which job would most facilitate fraud, they would probably come up with a pilot. There are many reasons why.

Pilots command a lot of respect because they are responsible for the lives of so many people. The bigger the plane, the bigger the adoration… and the bigger the ego. Not only do they earn a lot of money, they are also honored by the (often young and attractive) flight crew who look up to them.

But the biggest factor that puts pilots and flight attendants at the top of the disloyalty list is opportunity. Their work takes them miles away from home; far, far away from the eyes of their partner, friends or family who might see them with someone else.

The expert (pictured) named entrepreneurs, nurses and teachers as some of the professions most likely to be unfaithful to their partners

There is a small chance of being caught personally and if you continue to cheat with people you are unlikely to see again and don’t share personal details, there is also a small chance that you will be discovered later.

It sounds glamorous, but pilots and flight crews also say their work lives get lonely. You spend many hours alone in a hotel room, killing time until the next leg of your flight.

Sometimes you are away for a long time and if you do not have regular sex with your partner, sexual frustration arises. Add to that close relationships with other crew members who are in the same boat, and you can see why this profession tops the list of disloyalties.

NURSES AND DOCTORS

It’s a ‘seize the day’, live or die profession. Every second is precious, life can turn on a dime. An uncertain future makes people more likely to pick up experiences as they happen, without considering the consequences. Who knows if you’ll be alive to face them?

The higher you go on the medical ladder, the more the ‘God complex’ factor creeps in. Every trained physician has the honor of knowing that he or she is many parents’ dream partner for their children. Ascend the rank of surgeon and you attain divine status.

Your skills determine whether someone will live or die. The extraordinary power of saving lives, combined with the gratitude of those saved, creates extremely high self-esteem.

Research consistently shows that the higher your self-esteem, the less likely you are to think that the rules that apply to “normal” people apply to you.

Nurses and other medical personnel are not immune and nurse/physician issues are still very common.

Irregular schedules and constant emergencies provide the perfect excuses for the time you spend on an affair. Add to that incredibly high stress levels, long hours and lack of sleep and you have all the ingredients for spontaneous, desire-driven responses to temptation rather than logical, thoughtful decisions.

WHAT MAKES PEOPLE CHEAT AT WORK

There are many contributing factors, but these are the main players:

Intelligence: There is some evidence that intelligent people are more likely to cheat on their partners. Theoretically, they need a higher level of stimulation, so they are drawn to the novelty and excitement of an affair.

Wealth: American research has shown that people with a higher socio-economic status are likely to lie and cheat more often than people from lower classes.

Working away from home: The ideal environment for the dreaded trio: temptation, opportunity and boredom.

Familiarity: Research proves that we become closer to the people we like the more time we spend with them. Work is the hottest place for business because fame breeds lust.

All-consuming jobs: Paying more attention to your work than your partner will create cracks in your relationships. People who are successful in their careers spend less time with their partners, which makes them feel less connected.

Jobs with a lot of stress: Stress is generally harmful to relationships. No one behaves well when under pressure: it affects our mood and our feelings and leads to poor decision-making and judgment.

People who self-medicate work stress by using alcohol or drugs: Speaking of poor decision making and terrible judgment, taking drugs will do it.

Not being able to talk to your partner about work problems: We’re closest to the people who know the most about us: If your partner isn’t interested in work chat, then that’s it

ENTREPRENEURS

Both male and female entrepreneurs score high on infidelity. Not surprising when you consider that entrepreneurs are rarely traditional, preferring a life outside the square and thriving on risk and novelty.

They like things done their way and on their terms, and are more likely to take charge of their sex lives the way they do their own business.

BANKERS AND PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HIGH FINANCE

Apologies in advance for the many unflattering generalizations made here, but they are all backed up by some form of research.

OTHER OCCUPATIONS THAT MADE THE LIST

Less common, but still worth mentioning, are these jobs…

Lawyers: Mainly female lawyers. The emotional intensity of the cases creates a desire to escape. That could be a bottle of wine – or a passionate sexual encounter.

Traders: Twenty-nine percent of the men on Ashley Madison, another dating website for married people, are hustlers. Shift work makes it easier for them to stay under the radar if they are seeing someone for an affair.

sale: Many networking and work positions have you constantly meeting new people in drunken environments. A breeding ground for infidelity.

People who work in computers/IT: It could be because they are excellent at covering their tracks online, but it could also be because there are so many people working in this field that they are sure to be mentioned in most surveys.

The army: A 2017 study found that nearly 23% of military personnel cheated during a one-year deployment. To put that into perspective, it’s estimated that less than 4% of men in the general population will cheat within a year. No prizes for guessing why: long (long) periods away from home combined with being part of a subculture that ‘citizens’ don’t quite understand.

Bartenders and nightclub staff: Long hours, long nights, lots of people and lots of alcohol. A powerful mixture that is difficult to resist.

First responders (firefighters, police): High adrenaline, high risk and once again a lifestyle that only colleagues seem to understand.

Certain jobs have a greater propensity for unethical behavior – and the financial sector is one of them. Bankers, investment professionals and traders are more likely to engage in unethical behavior such as deception and fraud.

The competitive nature and high pressure in the financial sector means that employees cut corners and do unreliable things to achieve targets and maximize profits. If you’re used to cheating to make more money, it’s a small step to do the same in your personal relationships.

The morale of colleagues has a strong influence on ours. Surround yourself with cheaters and you’ll be more likely to cheat. Party with people who take big risks, worship money like a God, don’t defend faithfulness and often use drugs to stay awake and alert, and the chances of staying sober and faithful are pitifully low.

There is also a strong sense of entitlement in the financial sector: I work hard, so I deserve to get what I want.

AND THE ONE YOU DON’T EXPECT…

TEACHERS

I certainly didn’t expect to see this on the list. Although it wouldn’t surprise me, because my brother’s first wife was a teacher and left him for another teacher. Thirty-three percent of Illicit Encounter’s customer base are teachers (that’s the dating website for married people).

Teachers cheat for different reasons than the high flyers. They also have high work stress and high expectations, but often with limited resources.

They are often blamed for things beyond their control and the blame feels intensely personal (when dealing with children), causing high levels of frustration and low self-esteem.

Both damage relationships and create feelings of alienation: only another teacher truly understands how he or she feels.

Many teachers experience burnout and dissatisfaction with their careers, which can impact their personal lives. Affairs provide validation and excitement and are a way to cope with these feelings.

Many feel isolated or unsupported in their personal lives, especially if their partner does not understand the demands of the profession. This makes them more vulnerable to seeking connection or validation elsewhere.

You can find Tracey’s books, podcast and lots of sex and relationship advice at traceycox.com. Her sex toys, Supersex and Edge, are sold through lovehoney.