People working in this industry cry at work more than anyone else

Most of us have had to fight back tears after a dressing down from a boss or even nipped to the office loo for a cry.

For some, though, crying at work is a more regular occurrence – and in certain industries, it’s almost commonplace.

A new study from Vision Direct revealed over a third of Brits have cried at work at least once in the past year, with 55% of them citing stress as the trigger.

In a survey of 2,000 employees, 27% held burnout responsible for bringing on the waterworks, while 15% said work itself was enough to bring them to tears.

Two thirds of those who cry around their colleagues were women compared to 34% men. The results show women are also three times more likely to cry due to burnout than men

Meanwhile, Gen Z was found to be the most likely age group to get weepy in the workplace, with 34% of respondents admitting they’d done so; a stark contrast to the 7% of Boomers who did.

But age and gender aren’t the factors that play into this. Jobs themselves may also make staff tearier, as being overworked or undervalued (or both) takes its toll.

Teachers and those working in education were found to be the most prone to breaking down, but workers in the healthcare, hospitality and construction industries made the list too.

These roles are often poorly paid despite high levels of stress and responsibility, so it makes sense for the strain to manifest physically with crying.

But even if your job has brought you to tears in front of your peers, it isn’t likely to impact their perception of you. The data showed that just 26% of people don’t think it’s okay to cry in public, and only one in 10 people judge people who are crying. 

According to integative psychotherapist, counsellor and trainer, Sonal Thakrar, the old stereotype and perception that ‘crying is a sign of weakness’ is changing.

‘People frequently apologise for crying, but I believe it’s time to stop saying sorry for expressing our emotions,’ she adds.

There are also benefits to letting it all out, as Sonal explains: ‘Crying is a natural biopsychosocial response, a part of the human experience from infancy that signals we’re in emotional overload and pain.

‘Crying can provide relief and release pain, as research tells us that when we cry, our brain releases endorphins and oxytocin.’

The survey results align with science, as nearly half of respondents (44%) admit they feel calmer after crying, and almost the same proportion (42%) say they feel relieved.  

So whether you hide in the office cleaning cupboard to shed your tears or save them for your lunch hour, don’t feel compelled to keep your emotions bottled up altogether.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.