Crying in the office, have you ever done it? Should it be possible: crying at work? Show your tears and your emotions at work? Horror or relief? Can a manager show emotions at work? But what if you receive bad news at work? Is crying at work a sign of weakness or strength? How do colleagues see you when you burst into tears at work? Is it wisdom to cry or is it better to hold back? Does it hurt your image to cry at work?
Emotions
Does it damage your image to show your emotions at work? Does it damage your image as a manager to get angry at work? Sometimes circumstances are such that as a manager you become angry with arguing colleagues. The effect can be significant that the quarrel stops. The manager will often have difficulty with this sudden anger and consider it a sign of weakness: he or she was not overweight enough to stop the arguing colleagues.
Working with people
Where people are together, there are emotions. Emotions that show happiness are generally accepted. Completely cutting out your day, not. And those who cry are all too often labeled as weak. Showing emotions at work? Better not!
Positive
Which emotions of a manager at work are experienced as positive? Those are:
- Self-confidence,
- Proud and
- Enthusiasm.
Negative
Which managerial emotions are experienced as negative at work? Those are:
- Expressing frustrations and
- Fear of failure.
Neutral
Which emotions of a manager are experienced as neutral at work? Those are:
- To doubt
- Anger.
Managerial man or woman
Is there any difference in expressing emotions if the manager is male or female? Yes, if a male manager bursts into tears (it happens!), it is experienced as human. If a female manager bursts into tears, she is almost immediately labeled as weak and unaccountable.
Bad news
Is it okay to cry at work when you receive bad news from home? If personal circumstances are so serious that you have to inform your boss or manager to rush to the hospital, the tears usually come naturally. No one will judge you for these tears!
Regularly
Do you regularly burst into tears at work? Because your boss just told you in detail that you messed up an important assignment, or because you barely slept, or because you have to do so much in too little time that you can no longer see the forest for the trees? Whatever the reason, it can happen that someone suddenly bursts into tears in the middle of the workplace. But realize that if you burst into tears every week in the workplace, there is little understanding for this. Your colleagues’ patience will eventually run out.
Woman
It has happened to almost every woman, or she knows a woman who has had it happen to her: suddenly bursting into tears in the workplace. Because it all just became too much. Because just that drop made the camel overflow.
Rode
Why do women cry at work? What is the reason for that crying?
- Injustice at work,
- Frustrations,
- Stress (work stress),
- Fatigue,
- Low resistance,
- Stressed,
- Powerless anger,
- Emotional situations,
- Personal circumstances,
- Pregnancy,
- Stressful situations at home.
Blackmail
Crying at work can be used as a tool of blackmail. Be aware of one thing: crying at work as a means of blackmail will sooner or later work against you!
Colleagues
How do your colleagues view you when you burst into tears at work? With a mixture of sympathy and disgust? How does your boss view you when you burst into tears? How does your supervisor and managers view you when you burst into tears? Bystanders often feel uncomfortable when someone suddenly bursts into tears at work. If colleagues do not know the reason for these tears, gossip will arise in the workplace.
Men can – in general – be more understanding of crying at work than women. But beware: crying at work can be the death knell for your career!
Taboo
Crying and showing your emotions at work is still a taboo subject. Women who have cried at work strongly condemn themselves afterwards. Feelings of guilt and shame can arise in these women.
Do men cry too?
Do men also cry at work? Why do women cry more often at work than men? Men also sometimes burst into tears at work, but less often. Men are physically less likely to burst into tears than women. Women can start crying because they get angry and don’t know how to deal with this anger without being labeled a bitch.
To deal with
What is the best way to deal with crying at work? Are you sad or is something terrible going on in your home? Indicate in the workplace that you feel sad! State the reason for what is wrong with you to avoid gossip. Colleagues do not need to know everything, but to prevent gossip it is better to indicate that something is not right in your (private) life.
Are you sad about a situation at work? You must also indicate that! Discuss it with a manager or colleague!
Bystanders
Did a colleague of yours recently burst into tears at work? How should you deal with a colleague who burst into tears or walked out of the meeting angry? Ignoring is not the best option. It is better to take this colleague aside for a moment, so that this colleague can express his or her emotions. Show that you are listening and that you are concerned, and if necessary ask what you can do for this colleague. Show your compassion and ask how things are going after a few days. It shows great respect not to tell your colleagues afterwards that a colleague burst out crying at work.