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Professional women spend a significant amount of time and effort hiding tears on the job: They may run out of a meeting, hole up in an office with the door closed or hide in a bathroom stall until the weeping stops, according to Kimberly Elsbach, professor of management at the University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management.

"It's an enormous burden women have that men don't have," says Elsbach, who is several months into a study of crying in the workplace. "Men typically don't cry as often as women, and don't have to spend as much energy working to suppress tears on the job."

Most previous research has focused on the reasons people cry and the impact of crying on their health and well-being. Elsbach, a specialist in organizational behavior, is among the first researchers to explore the professional consequences of crying on the job.

She has conducted interviews with more than a dozen professional women so far. "Every woman had cried at work -- most said they had gone to great pains to hide it," she said.

Previous research has found that across cultures, women are more likely than men to cry due to frustration, stress and anger, or in response to criticism. Existing research also suggests that crying is perceived more positively if it is viewed as sincere rather than manipulative, and if it seems justified -- in response to bullying, for example.

In addition to looking at the professional consequences of on-the-job crying, Elsbach is also exploring the factors that make tears seem sincere or insincere.