Is Crying at Work Ever Okay?

[Egg]

Am sure most of you have experienced this, in your career.

A co-worker overwhelmed by something, breaking down and crying at work.

Is this acceptable? Is there a time where it is is isn't?

Click to read more...

 

[Hammettf2b]

No. Stop being a little bitch

 

[TD Charlie]

18 years old, had an 8am shift at Walmart. My grandmother was in the hospital a mile down the road. I visited her the night before, and went to visit her in the morning before work but she had passed overnight and nobody told me. I walked into her room (security must have been a little different 20 years ago) and it was completely empty. A nurse walked up to me and must have seen it in my face and she just hugged me and said "honey I'm so sorry." I left, numb, and went to work. Clocked in, made it a few steps onto the sales floor and broke down. A manager saw me, I asked to leave and he told me to stay out as long as I needed to.

So yeah, I have "cried at work."

 

[Hammettf2b]

18 years old, had an 8am shift at Walmart. My grandmother was in the hospital a mile down the road. I visited her the night before, and went to visit her in the morning before work but she had passed overnight and nobody told me. I walked into her room (security must have been a little different 20 years ago) and it was completely empty. A nurse walked up to me and must have seen it in my face and she just hugged me and said "honey I'm so sorry." I left, numb, and went to work. Clocked in, made it a few steps onto the sales floor and broke down. A manager saw me, I asked to leave and he told me to stay out as long as I needed to.

So yeah, I have "cried at work."

"Man tf up. I know I did!"

 

[TheGreenTBer]

18 years old, had an 8am shift at Walmart. My grandmother was in the hospital a mile down the road. I visited her the night before, and went to visit her in the morning before work but she had passed overnight and nobody told me. I walked into her room (security must have been a little different 20 years ago) and it was completely empty. A nurse walked up to me and must have seen it in my face and she just hugged me and said "honey I'm so sorry." I left, numb, and went to work. Clocked in, made it a few steps onto the sales floor and broke down. A manager saw me, I asked to leave and he told me to stay out as long as I needed to.

So yeah, I have "cried at work."

Jesus. That's horrible.

Thankfully your manager was sympathetic.

 

[Pasha71]

That's not exactly something one can control 100%, so yes.

 

[HansonBro]

One of my employees had a break down. He was going through a tough time with his wife. I'm glad I was able to be there for him as a friend and not just a boss.

 

[LarryFisherman]

Someone at my work put in thier notice, and then cried on the standup when they announced they were leaving. There were like 40 people on the call and it was super awkward.

She was a great employee and it was sad to see her leave, but I was surprised by the reaction. If you were looking for jobs on your time there had to be something you didn't fancy about working at the place you're leaving. Not sure why that would be so sad.

 

[LarryFisherman]

I would also never make the announcement on a call like that. I'd just blast off an email and tell everyone thanks. Meh.

 

[Egg]

I don't think its ever okay, but as a manager, I could understand a situation that could push an employee to a point that they may need a bit of time to deal with things.

I think its the managements responsibility, to ensure that employee gets time to settle themselves, or are allowed to go home to deal with things, should they be trying to deal with death or anything of the sort.

What I do think is acceptable, are those using their tears to get what they want in a workplace.

They don't want to sweep floors. Out come the water works.

Customer returns a part that is wrong and you're tasked to fix it. Water works, until someone does the work for you, because you're too "distraught" to do it.

Emotional intelligence is a critical aspect of an employees skillset.

To me someone often rendered to tears, showcase often one who isn't very good at dealing with their job.

 

[Egg]

That's not exactly something one can control 100%, so yes.

I had an co-worker who would pull the crocodile tears. Sustain them until someone offered to help them (IE do the troubleshooting for them), and would just *magically* stop crying after.

Sorry, but no. Some tears you *can* control.

I see it like someone who coldly murdered a family, then cries as asks for leniency when sentenced to life.

Are you going to feel sorry for them?

 

[Egg]

Clocked in

Sorry for your loss. The above, is your only error. You should have told your boss. Any boss forcing you to work through that, is a job search you should start post shift.

There is no way a human can work immediately after such a devastating loss.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I love how @Egg says “water works”

 

[Pasha71]

I see it like someone who coldly murdered a family, then cries as asks for leniency when sentenced to life.

Are you going to feel sorry for them?

OK... that went dark quickly.

I am not saying one should induce crying at work, but sometimes crying just... happens. And you can't really tell someone who is genuinely sad not to cry. Well, you can, but you won't be right.

 

[Tarantula]

I had a ex boss I wish I made cry at work, miserable old pr!ck...

 

[TD Charlie]

Sorry for your loss. The above, is your only error. You should have told your boss. Any boss forcing you to work through that, is a job search you should start post shift.

There is no way a human can work immediately after such a devastating loss.

i was young, it was my first job, and i didn’t know how to process that sort of thing. I wonder now if part of me tried to work through it just as an escape.

 

[JMCx4]

Q: "Is Crying At Work Ever OK?"

A: "Not on this job ..."

 

[Egg]

but sometimes crying just... happens.

Thats understandable.

I almost broke down in front of a co-worker, calling them from a hospital where I found out my mother wouldn't make it.

Granted, I took a bereavement leave, but I wouldn't have been fit for work for a few days at least.

I have seldom experienced that level of pain, and hope I don't again until death.

I totally get it. I couldn't stop crying for days. To the point I was angry at myself for being unable to keep things together.

I am known as the "strong one" in my family. By that, eluding to the person people tend to lean on during hardship.

I just think while understandable in such settings, I find it unacceptable in another where all an employee does is cry when faced with any remote level of adversity.

 

[Egg]

I wonder now if part of me tried to work through it just as an escape.

I took three days off after losing my mother. I needed to get back to a routine, or I would've spiraled into depression.

So I get trying to get back to things as quickly as possible.

As you experienced, going in too quickly risks you breaking down without having any way to stop it.

 

[Jiminy Cricket]

I Never let my Enployee`s Cry. I love 2 Taunt them, Give them Xtra work, Threaten them, etc. Then if they Cry, i Fire them. Witch is why i Have the Most successful Fast Casual Food Chain in North America. I Only keep the Tuffes`t emPloyee`s that can get the Job done. `n` if ur Cryin`g, ur a little bitch `n` not cut out 4 the Job.

 

[Tarantula]

I Never let my Enployee`s Cry. I love 2 Taunt them, Give them Xtra work, Threaten them, etc. Then if they Cry, i Fire them. Witch is why i Have the Most successful Fast Casual Food Chain in North America. I Only keep the Tuffes`t emPloyee`s that can get the Job done. `n` if ur Cryin`g, ur a little bitch `n` not cut out 4 the Job.

Just not the brightest...




Da bessed part iz I uzed Jiminies sell fone to make thiz call. One uf iz former werkers waz soo madd at him, he pay'd me to fewl his ole buss, Jerry I thunk was iz name...

We booth lafed and the ex werker had teers frum lafter... gosh bless...

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

If you’re a woman, sure

 

[AceKing21]

Many experiences I had as a manager in the casino industry where I had to let an employee know that we were choosing to separate from employment. This usually resulted in tears in which case it became awkward for me. I will admit, I shed tears once when I had to term someone. There was one female I had to terminate because of her attendance. It wasn't that she called out to work, it was because she was late like 15 times in one month. She got a divorce, lost her car, was raising two kids and her only way to work was either bus, taxi or uber. She just couldn't get to work on time and I we had no choice but to let her go. When I sat her down in the office and told her the news, it was extremely hard for me because I knew seeing her cry was going to get me emotional. Tough situation, but at the end of the day it was my job and it was out of my hands.

 

[Egg]

If you’re a woman, sure

I have actually never seen a male coworker crying at work.

However, the women who I have seen do it, all had horrible mental health problems, except one.

The latter had her mom lose her battle with cancer. 3 days later, at work. Soldiered through it, until all women at work threw her a pity party, and just kept drilling her with heavy handed emotional stuff, until she couldn't take it, and just broke down crying after trying so hard to hold it together.

Now they had someone they could hug, to make them feel better

Any others I have worked with, did the crocodile tears whenever they made a mistake or any instance where they knew they would get reprimanded.

Kind of sad.

 

[mattihp]

People have lives and stuff happens. Colleagues can be important support for some people. When things add upp in your work life and personal life.. It can get too much. I understand that.