Massive cock up at work. What do I do.

[messeduphelp]

It's my first day back at work, I've been off on maternity leave for a year. I'm in the office on my own today, and I logged in on my old computer/desk. I had to quickly scan something to send off, which is a function not available on my computer. I had to use a colleagues empty desk to do this, I used their computer/desk for no more than 3 minutes. After this I read an email from my manager, saying no hot desking is to take place due to covid and telling me to work on a different desk in the corner of the room to be as far away from colleagues desk as possible.

Colleague isn't in today, but now her computer says my name when you go to log in so it's obvious I've used it. My old computer says the same. The only desk that I haven't touched, and doesn't say I've used it is the one desk I was supposed to use.

So what do I do? I don't want to get in trouble, and I know colleague is very worried about me coming back to work due to covid. I have used sterilising wipes on everything I touched on their desk. But do I now move to the desk I was supposed to be at, away from hers? Or do I leave that computer untouched so that when she comes back I can leave a note explaining I used both the other computers and to go on that desk if she wants to sit somewhere I haven't touched.

I'm freaking out a little, I was so nervous about coming back and now I feel like I've really messed up.

How were you supposed to know without logging on to a computer? If anything, they’ve cocked up by not telling you first. Be kind to yourself, it’s not a problem.

Just confess to your mistake. You didn't know the rules. This covid stuff is getting ridiculous. People are going to end up with severe stress, anxiety and other mental health problems.

Op this is really not a big fuck up. You're worrying about nothing honestly. You haven't gone and licked and taken a shite all over her computer, you've used it for a minute and then cleaned it all. No problem here whatsoever.

Don’t call or text. Just send him email letting him know facts. Don’t be overly apologetic either just say you used to scan and have now cleaned it all and moved to the desk he indicated you to use. Then enquire as to which scanner computer you should access.

Companies won’t have extra photocopiers printers specialist computers machines for all staff. We all need to get use to using same things but obviously in a safe way.

I have to add that it’s a bit rubbish that both the colleague and your manager were off on your first day back You’ve been away a year it’s a hospital you’d think they’d want someone in had for backup for the first day back queries surely

Pps why does someone always suggest it giving a new piece of equipment. I haven’t had many jobs where this would be possible. Currently we don’t have a dedicated it dept. Prior job no way in month of Sunday’s would they issue new equipment unless old one was completely unusable. Where are all these companies with it depts issuing equipment all the time

@messuphelp As a nurse working on a ward with electronic prescribing and about 5 computers and a couple of laptops to share between the whole ward with up at 12 nurses and 4 doctors and whatever specialist teams come down per shift we literally have no choice. It's not hot desking as such because we don't have a permanent sit down desk but we are on and off computers all the time. We just wipe them down at the end of each shift. But tbh not even between each use.. however we hand wash like crazy.

Clearly management/ICT have come up with no further ideas as we've had no instruction but I don't see how it can be avoided. In an office setting it seems more appropriate to stick to your own desk but the point it was trying to illustrate is I don't see what harm could come from a quick trip on another computer followed by a wipe down. It'll be fine. Just reply to your manager and say thanks point noted.

Sorry @messuphelp got your username wrong in my reply.

How were you supposed to know which computer to use without using a computer to get that email?! It’ll be fine, you’re overthinking it. They should have people doing thorough cleaning every day anyway.

You really don't want to try and hide the fact you've touched stuff.
Be honest, and do what you can do ensure the person who sits there next knows it's been touched.

So clean it (as you have), leave a note and get on with your day.
Email the manager (their choice to read work email on a day off).

I'm quite shocked that neither your manager or colleague were in the office on your first day back. It's poor management. I honestly wouldn't worry about what you did. It couldn't be helped.

It's been deliberately arranged that I'm here on my own. No one is meant to be in the office at the same time, and everyone must stay on their desk. Wipe down light switch and door handles on arriving and leaving. I feel like a leper.

If a wipe down is fine for the light switch and door handles, it will be fine for everything else. And I agree with pp, if not using another computer was of vital importance you needed to be told about it without having to use a computer to access that information!

Oh OP, take a breath! Worse things than this have happened, do NOT text your Manager!

Wipe down the machines that you weren't; supposed to be using. Leave a note and apology (although it hardly even warrants and apology) for your colleague explaining that you've cleaned and sanitised. Go and sit at your allocated desk and get on with your day.

It'll be fine!

This is not a massive cock up.

The manager should have told you the new guidelines before you even arrived at the office. How were you supposed to read an email without logging on? Why didn't he tell you earlier when you were talking to him? If anybody has cocked up, it's him.

As PP have said just sanitise thoroughly, leave a note and move on. It really isn't your fault.

This isn't a big deal at all. Just wipe down the desk and whatever you touched, job done. If you wipe down door handles and light switches anyway, just wipe the keyboard too and leave a note - "Sorry, quickly used your computer to scan something before I saw the guidance. I've wiped it all down!" Your colleague can then wipe it again if they're that bothered.

I wish that this was the scale of my "massive cockups". I can't see what you've done wrong to be honest. How can you follow instructions before you've received them?

Not a big deal at all. Think about how many people touch a keypad when entering a pin number etc.

Agree with other posters: Work at the desk you've been assigned. Email boss at the end of the day along the lines of:

Dear Boss

Just to let you know that I didn't see my assigned desk had changed until I had already logged on to my usual computer and used the second one in order to scan something. All wiped down and sanitised now and I've noted my new place for next time.

Best
OP

Really they could have stuck a note on the desks saying 'do not tough, X's desk only' or 'no hot desking' if they were that bothered. It was a genuine error with no malice intended, don't see how anyone could possibly get in to trouble for this.

It's fine. If you're worried then send an email to your manager and the person that the computer belongs to saying that you had to use it for X reason and that you completely sanitised the computer both before and after use.

Write a quick note and leave it by the pc - Dear Colleague I logged on to this pc to scan something and only got the message about not hot-desking a moment ago. I've now thoroughly cleaned all surfaces. Sorry about that. Really looking forward to being back in the office and seeing you all soon, Best wishes OP

Leave the computer in the corner untouched. Don't swap the keyboard - then you'll have touched all of the computers. Your company will have done a risk assessment for Covid and risks of cross-contamination. Email your manager outlining that you touched your colleague's keyboard and that the computer in the corner is untouched. They can then decide which process to use going forward.

Turn it off And on again at the plug in the hope it stops saying you were the last to log in? And sanitise it too!

Don't contact your manager on their day off for this, it really isn't a big problem, and how could you have read the email without logging onto your usual computer? Their fault really that they didn't attach instructions to the equipment. Imagine the chaos at supermarkets if the trolleys had to be separated out and not touched. As long as things are sanitised after use, there is really no risk. What a first day back! Hope your week improves OP.

Just wipe down all the computers and leave a post it note on all of them explaining your small blunder , which is what this is and then forget all about it .

It was a bit silly to tell you this in an email that you couldn't read without logging onto a computer wasn't it?

How were you meant to know not to log onto your usual computer without logging onto it, to read the email?

When is she back in?

If it's more than 72h away, you don't have to think about this at all as this is the (slightly hypothetical) period that covid can survive on surfaces for.

If it's within 72h, still don't worry as (1) how were you supposed to know? and (2) you or if appropriate, a cleaner can wipe the workstation down. If I were you I'd seek help from your manager to arrange this and just explain that you hadn't received any guidance