A decade ago, any display of extreme emotion at work, like crying, would’ve been incredibly taboo. In some workplaces, it still is. But mental health and human resources experts agree that crying at work, though it shouldn’t be done all the time, is healthy and human.
Anthropologists say crying at work has been looked down upon in the past because it violates “display rules,” which are cultural norms related to self expression, according to Forbes. Some managers also see crying at work as a sign of weakness; women, especially, often worry about being seen as weak if they cry in the office. But Claire Williams, director of people and services at UK-based human resources software company CIPHR, told Woman’s Day that people who regard showing emotion at work as unprofessional are being unrealistic.
