Have you ever cried/made someone cry at work?

[Bliss]

I can only remember crying once at work and that was because I had an argument with someone that I got on well with. It shocked me that she was shouting at me. I didn't make a big drama out of it. I just knew I was going to cry so I went to the toilet to do it there.

As for making someone cry.. I have. Once. I am not proud of it! It was a sixteen year old kid. Boy did I feel bad. I was promoted at work and he was my replacement so I had to train him before I could start my new role. Basically he wasn't interested in what I was saying, he kept telling me I was wrong and he didn't need training etc. I tried to keep calm but I had never been in that sort of a situation so I just shouted at him. I don't even remember what I said but I was called in to the office the next day and was basically called a bully. He left in the end. :shifteyes:

 

[Jeanie]

I've never made anyone cry at work, but I have cried at work because of a work-related situation. I had one boss who was a real hot-head, and that's putting it mildly. This was some time ago, if it happened now I'd probably file harassment charges because his anger created a very hostile workplace. He used to swear at me, he would kick equipment, storm around the office yelling about this, that or the other thing. One time I was asked to do a presentation, and being the perfectionist that I am, I was telling him that I couldn't reproduce the graphics on the presentation the way I thought they wanted them (in retrospect I should have just done the best I could and told them "that's the best I can do, but I thought they wanted me to make an exact reproduction of a hand-drawn sketch on my computer) at any rate I was saying "I really don't think I can do this" and he went off on me. He threw his hands up in the air and said "you are always so FUCKING negative and I'm sick of it" and stormed off. At which point I sat at my desk and cried. Fucker.

 

[HalfEatenSurprise]

Done neither. Don't get the idea of getting all worked up in the work place. I mean, fair enough you're trying to pay the bills, but you should be able to enjoy yourself too, or at least be content/happy with what you do. I don't like the idea of being made miserable at work, so I do my best not to make others miserable when I have to give them jobs to do/supervise or whatever.

I mean, if you can't be happy at work, then why bother doing it??? That is surely the very ultimate goal when all is said and done... Isn't it? -- Isn't it? That's a question actually...

Oh, and Bliss. Yelling at somebody who doesn't listen sounds like a rational reaction, I'm sure whatever you said will stick with the individual and perhaps help him in future. It might stick with him, and help him grow into a more capable worker. So kudos for that.

 

[Bliss]

Are you being sarcastic? As I said I had never been in that situation, it was a long time ago and I do regret doing it. I was frustrated and acted out.

 

[Bubbles]

I've never cried or made anyone cry at work but I've definitely gone through the frustration that Jeanie described. When I started working for my former employer (I was 18), I was put under the supervision of a woman who had been there for about 9 years or so. When she was training me she's deliberate move the paper work around, "misplace" files and tell the supervisor that I wasn't very organized. I was actually pretty stupid because at first, I didn't notice she was doing these things on purpose. So, I started keeping an eye on the filing that I'd done, I'd log off the computer even if I was going out of the room for like a minute and if I wasn't sure on what to do I'd go to the supervisor and talk to him instead of talking to her, because I knew I was just gonna get bullshit answer outta her. I used to wait until she left work and I'd double check all my filing and data entry and everything else. When she finally realized that I was learning the work quickly on my own, she said something to the effect of "Oh, you're young sweetie, I don't think this is the best place for you to be working. You don't have the experience and you're not really that mature." To this day, I have no idea what she was so jealous about. But her jealousy made me work twice as hard, just to spite her. And I can proudly say that I survived in a workplace for 4 and a half year, that was full of cunts like her.

 

[HalfEatenSurprise]

Are you being sarcastic? As I said I had never been in that situation, it was a long time ago and I do regret doing it. I was frustrated and acted out.

I wasn't being sarcastic Bliss. I meant what I said. Sorry if it was unclear or sounded so :S

 

[Merc]

I've never made someone cry but I did get someone so pissed off they tried to get me fired. Of course, the funny part was they got fired instead because it turns out they deserved it.

When I was at college, I worked (all 4 years) at our school convenience store. It's a tiny place that sells all the basics a college kid would need. Candy, frozen dinners, soda, and ramen amongst other things. So this chick started working there and like me, she had a signficant other back home 2 1/2 hours away. So one night she picks up the store phone and dials him and talked to him for like, 30 minutes while I did all the work. Only two people work the store at once so I wasn't too thrilled. I was nice and found out that she was talking to her boyfriend so I gave her a friendly warning that people at this school are very touchy and get offended really easily (I wasn't lying, a friend of mine almost got fired for saying "damn" and no I'm not fucking kidding you). Needless to say, she pretty much ignored me. The next night we worked, she was on the phone for 2 goddamn hours while bagging.

Okay, fine, you're lonely, but give me a break. I reminded her again that as a senior I had been there for a while and knew someone would rat on her and told her that. Once again, not even a flinch, she just nodded and kept going. Two weeks later, Jabba the h- err, my boss, tells me she wants me to stop bossing people around. I laughed at her and said that Sabrina (we'll use a fake name) was lying to her. My boss stutters and says it wasn't her to which I laughed again and said whatever and walked away. Yes, my boss was a cunt but I guess that's what you get for hiring a new, young mom with an overbearing husband and a fresh degree from a community college. Anyways, to finish off this long ass story, I went to my boss's boss, ratted the chick out and got her fired. Why? I'm not going to let myself get thrown under the bus so I was either going to take her with me or let her take my place.

My boss's superior was not happy once I told him to check the phone bill however. It was a swift exit for Sabrina let's just say.

 

[MiloIsYum]

I cried when I got fired. Technically ... I just got fired, so I wasn't crying at 'work' as I was now unemployed ... but whatever.

From that same job, I recall crying once or twice to my mum about it, literally breaking down in tears because of how miserable I was there ... but not actually in the workplace.

I'm glad I got fired ... that place was a dump. F*cking wankers.

 

[Danno]

I would never cry at work due to the fact I couldn't give a shit about it. And I haven't made anybody cry to my knowledge.

I am nasty to some people at my place but only because they deserve it for been so incredibly Dim.

Boy I hate most of my colleagues. There is one girl who works there who I am sorry to say, I kind of hope I have made her cry at some point, she does not deserve to breathe the same air as me never mind have a job. I am generally a nice guy and everything but I cannot deal with people like her.

 

[ysabel]

I haven't made people cry on purpose. But I've worked as HR consultant and sometimes we are the bearer of not-so-good news from the management - that makes them cry. Also, I worked in the labor relations and counseling type so I'm used with people crying in front of me explaining their work problems or even personal ones.