Inspired by the teachers and students thread below - managers, have you ever made an employee cry?

[Chocolatewafer]

“Made” probably the wrong word as pointed out by PPs on earlier thread - perhaps more accurately “has employee or team member cried during a work related interaction with you”?

People regularly cry in meetings with me! I always have a box of tissues at the ready.

Usually, they tend to cry about personal stuff - I have quite close relationships with the people I line manage, so they talk to me about their problems quite a lot.

Sometimes, they cry because I'm nice to them and tell them how much we appreciate what they do. Sometimes they cry because I tell them that they need to stop putting so much pressure on themselves.

Funnily enough, I don't recall anyone crying when I've had to deliver really difficult messages around capability / disciplinary / redundancy etc. Perhaps they did cry and I've blanked it out?

I've cried in several meetings with my boss. Never because he has said something I didn't want to hear, but more because I'm stressed / frustrated /exhausted etc. Wish I didn't cry so easily, but that's just who I am!

Ahhhh thanks @Grumpy. I am not but I do firmly believe that if you have to talk to someone who has a lot going on in their head already, you have to let them speak first, and freely, so they are clear and then more likely to understand what you have to say. This results in double tears though. Tears when they are ranting before. Then more tears when you are saying your piece after. I need some squashy dinosaurs.

I have a horrendous Manager, who wouldn't hear me if I dropped a piano on her mother she is so terrible at listening. It makes you feel shitty and motivates you to go elsewhere.

I was the crying employee. A small task in the office made its way over to me when I was of the understanding it was an office task and whoever got it dealt with it. I had spoken to senior management about this numerous times who advised me that it was an office task. I was advised next time it was sent to me to send it back with instructions on how to complete which I did.

The member of staff I sent it to wasn't happy brought it up with senior management who made us have an office meeting and basically asked who everyone thought should do the task which obviously was me. It basically looked like I was saying I wouldn't do something that everyone thought was my job even though senior management had assured me time and time again it wasn't. I was about 5 months pregnant at the time and felt completely ganged up on. I cried the rest of the night.

I'm starting my new job this morning. This probably wasn't the best thread to read I'll let you know if I cry!