The politics of tears at work - The big no-no in the workplace

Let’s be honest, some women cry at work and so does the odd man. Why is it wrong to be human in the workplace, asks Rita de Brun.

Of all the things that can manifest in having a bad day at the office - effing up, losing a client, blowing a deal - none are as dreaded as having a tear or tears roll down your face. For some reason, this entirely natural response to stress, distress and even happiness is still widely perceived as the ultimate show of weakness.

Tim Hunt felt the backlash of this perception when he recently confided in delegates at a science conference: “Let me tell you about my trouble with girls ... three things happen when they are in the lab ... You fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticise them, they cry,”