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!)

It’s impossible to predict who will play away and who won’t – but it’s easy to guess where it’s most likely to happen.

Work.

It’s well established that a good majority of affairs – as high as 85 per cent – begin in the workplace. This is because it provides a lethal combination of three factors – temptation, opportunity, and boredom – which significantly up the chances of cheating.

One landmark study found one in five employees confess to cheating with a colleague with late nights at the office, overnight conferences and boozy office parties fuelling temptation.

People cheat most at work for lots of reasons.

British relationship expert Tracey Cox explains why certain jobs mean you’re most likely to cheat (stock image)

It makes the day a hell of a lot more exciting and it’s where we meet and get close to people other than our partners.

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

Are the factors that draw people to certain jobs also indications of the likelihood someone will cheat? Absolutely.

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

A word of caution before reading the list: it’s speculative and based on likelihood not fact. Not all pilots and bankers cheat – even if they are a lot more likely to.

Yes, the cliché is true…

PILOTS AND FLIGHT CREW

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

Pilots command high 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 lots of money, they’re revered by the (often young and attractive) flight crew who look up to them.

But the biggest factor that puts pilots and flight attendants top of the infidelity list is opportunity. Their job puts 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) listed entrepreneurs, nurses and teachers as some of the professions most likely to be unfaithful to their partner

There’s a low chance of getting caught in person and, if you stick to cheating with people you’re unlikely to see again and don’t share personal details, a low chance of being found out later on as well.

It sounds glam but pilots and flight crew also say their work life gets lonely. There are lots of hours alone in a hotel room, killing time until the next leg of your flight.

You’re sometimes away for long stretches of time and not having regular sex with your partner builds sexual frustration. Add close relationships with other crew members who are in the same boat, and you can see why this profession tops a lot of the infidelity lists.

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 grab experiences when they appear, with less regard for consequences. Who knows if you’ll even be alive to face them?

The higher up the medical ladder you go, the more the ‘God complex’ factor creeps in. Any trained doctor has the kudos of knowing they’re a lot of parents’ dream partner for their children. Move up the rank to surgeon and you achieve a God-like status.

Your skills decide whether someone will live or die. The extraordinary power of saving lives combined with the gratitude of those who are saved makes for an extremely high self-esteem.

Research consistently proves the higher your self-esteem, the less likely you are to think that the rules which govern ‘normal’ people apply to you.

Nurses and other medical staff aren’t immune and nurse/doctor affairs are still extremely common.

Irregular schedules and constant emergencies provide the perfect excuses for time spent having an affair. Add in incredibly high stress levels, long hours and sleep deprivation and you have all the ingredients for spontaneous, desire-driven responses to temptation rather than logical, thought-through decisions.

WHAT MAKES PEOPLE CHEAT AT WORK

Many factors contribute but these are the main players:

Intelligence: There’s evidence to suggest that intelligent people are more likely to cheat on their partners. The theory being they need a higher level of stimulation so are drawn to the novelty and excitement of an affair.

Wealth: US research found people of a higher socioeconomic status may be more likely to engage in lying and cheating than those in lower classes.

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

Familiarity: Research proves we grow closer to people we like, the more time we spend with them. Work is the most popular place for affairs because familiarity breeds lust.

All-consuming jobs: If you pay more attention to your job than your partner, cracks form in your relationships. People who are successful in their careers spend less time with their partners, making them feel less bonded.

High stress jobs: Stress is generally harmful for relationships. No-one behaves well when under pressure: it affects our mood, our feelings and leads to bad decision making and judgement calls.

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

Not feeling able to talk to your partner about work problems: We are closest to the people who know the most about us: if your partner isn’t interested in work chat, that

ENTREPRENEURS

Both male and female entrepreneurs score highly for infidelity. Not surprising when you consider entrepreneurs are rarely traditional, prefer to live life outside the square and thrive on risk and novelty.

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

BANKERS AND PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HIGH FINANCE

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

OTHER PROFESSIONS THAT MADE THE LIST

Less frequent but still warranting mentions are these jobs…

Lawyers: Most particularly female lawyers. The emotional intensity of cases creates a desire for escape. That might be a bottle of wine – or a passionate sexual encounter.

Tradesmen: Twenty-nine percent of men on Ashley Madison, another dating website for married people, are tradesmen. Shift work makes it easier for them to fly under the radar when seeing someone for an affair.

Sales: Lots of networking and work functions mean you’re constantly meeting new people in boozy 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 also could be because there are so many people who work in this field, they’re bound to get a mention in most studies.

The military: A 2017 study found almost 23% of military men cheated during a year-long deployment. To put that into perspective, less than 4% of men in the general population are estimated to cheat within a year. No prizes for guessing why: long (long) periods away from home combined with being part of a subculture ‘civilians’ don’t fully comprehend.

Bartenders and nightclub staff: Long hours, long nights, lots of people and lots of alcohol. A potent mixture that’s hard to resist.

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

Certain jobs have a higher propensity for unethical behaviour – and finance is one of them. Bankers, investment professionals and traders are more likely to engage in unethical behaviour – such as cheating and fraud.

The competitive nature and high-pressure environment of the financial industry means employees cut corners and do dodgy things to meet targets and maximise profits. If you’re used to cheating to make more money, it’s a tiny leap to do the same in your personal relationships.

The morals of work colleagues strongly influence our own. Surround yourself with cheaters and you’ll be more inclined to cheat. Party with people who are high risk takers, worship money as a God, don’t champion fidelity and frequently use drugs to stay awake and alert, and the chances of staying sober and faithful are pitifully low.

There’s a strong sense of entitlement in the finance industry as well: I work hard so I deserve to have whatever I want.

AND THE ONE YOU WEREN’T EXPECTING…

TEACHERS

I certainly didn’t count on seeing this on the list. Though I shouldn’t be surprised because my brother’s first wife was a teacher and left him for another teacher. Thirty-three per cent of Illicit Encounter’s client base are teachers (that’s the dating website for married people).

Teachers cheat for different reasons than the high-flyers do. They too have high work stress and high expectations placed on them but often with limited resources.

They’re often blamed for things out of their control and the blame feels intensely personal (when dealing with children) which creates high levels of frustration and low self-esteem.

Both harm relationships and create feelings of alienation: only another teacher truly understands how they feel.

A lot of teachers experience burnout and dissatisfaction with their careers, which can spill over into their personal lives. Affairs provide validation and excitement and are a way of coping with these feelings.

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

You’ll find Tracey’s books, podcast and lots of advice on sex and relationships on traceycox.com. Her sex toy ranges, Supersex and Edge, are sold through lovehoney.