Have you ever wondered what needs flirting satisfies and how healthy this emotion is? When is flirting a natural expression of sympathy, or even a way to create chemistry between people, and when is it equivalent to cheating on a partner?

All people who value a pleasant environment can be prone to flirting, but especially those who have an open mind and are able to quickly find a common language with people. Flirting can be perceived as playful communication to create a friendly atmosphere. But the situation is not always clear-cut. It's worth analysing different cases to find out whether flirting is always appropriate and whether it disturbs others.

What causes the habit of flirting? It all depends on the context and boundaries. Harmless flirting can be seen as a game, a manifestation of childish playfulness and a way to get positive emotions in a relationship. It is important for human interaction and the development of friendly communication. However, if flirting is manifested in a wide circle and a person flirts with everyone in a row, it can be an adaptive character trait and indicate an unmet need to please everyone. Addiction to flirting can occur in people with a demonstrative personality type who seek to constantly attract attention and receive approval from others.

Light flirting at work can be perceived as a way to increase employee efficiency and reduce stress. After all, if there are people in the team with whom it is interesting and pleasant to communicate, it can facilitate the work process. And this format of communication is not necessarily associated with love feelings or betrayal of your partner. The main thing in this case is not to cross the line.

If you are not sure about the status of the relationship, the person's reaction is important. If you joke with your colleagues and everyone is comfortable, that's one thing. But deliberately attracting attention, the purpose of which remains unclear to the partner, can be a problem. The person's reaction will help determine whether it is acceptable. 

However, flirting can have a negative effect, especially if it is perceived as something more.  People may not always be able to interpret the signals that are sent to them correctly. What one person sees as a mere display of friendly sympathy may mean interest and a desire to take decisive action for another. People who already have partners should be especially careful with flirting. It may give the impression that they are not averse to considering other options.

It should also be remembered that flirting may not always be sincere and may contain a manipulative moment. Sometimes people use it to achieve their goals, such as promotion or cooperation.

Cases where flirting by others triggers a person may be related to a violation of personal space or an aversion to certain types of relationships. In this case, you should carefully analyse the situation. For example, it may happen that flirting between two colleagues crosses boundaries and interferes with the work process, causing problems and misunderstandings among employees. The reason is most likely that the couple is interfering with the comfort zone of their colleagues with their relationship. This is unacceptable, because true professionals should separate their work and personal lives. However, if only one of them pays too much attention to this or reacts negatively, then it is most likely that he or she is the one with the problem. In this case, you should track your reaction and think about what exactly could have caused it.

Flirting, as a model of communication, can help create a cosy atmosphere or, on the contrary, bring chaos to the team. Whether or not to use it is your choice. However, remember that everyone should feel comfortable during any communication. Don't use flirting in cases where it could hurt the other person.