Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is among a number of high-profile business figures who admits to crying at work on a regular basis – but it’s still considered taboo in certain settings.

It’s also an issue – as Williams says – that is unwritten by sexism; research shows men are deemed likeable for their tears, while women are seen to lose credibility. However, such assumptions hold little substance.

One US study showed that while 41% of women and 9% of men in all levels of management had cried at work during the previous year, they all said it made no difference to their subsequent success.

Indeed, it may be a good to let it out.

Dr Sandi Mann, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Central Lancashire, describes bottling up our emotions in the workplace as “emotional labour”.

“The effort it takes to fake or hide emotions can be compared to physical labour; it causes huge mental stress – it can make you lose your sense of identity, as if your employer ‘owns’ your emotions,” she says.

Images: Getty

Serena Williams: it's good for women to get emotional at work