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.

God I wish my job and my life had so little stress.

People are suggesting getting cleaners in to santise or ordering a new keyboard that OP hasn't touched, really??! 😂

Wipe down what you touched on other people's desks. Reply to your boss' email saying that you used colleague's scanner before seeing the instruction but have disinfected colleague's work station and will use the corner desk as instructed.

No need for industrial cleaners and replacement keyboards. No need for panic.

I wouldn't give it a second thought. It really should be no big deal.

Its not a big issue if you used a username and a password to log on then thats fine. Just tell them what you did as there was seeminlg a problem with the machine you nortmally use probally as you've been away you may have put your password in wrong on the first attempt!

End off!..

That's not a massive cock-up or even a minor cock-up - and I doubt anyone will die! I doubt anyone will even notice - if they do, just apologise and say you've cleaned it. And don't go calling managers on their day off or they'll think you're crazy!

@messeduphelp

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.

Breathe OP! This REALLY isn't the end of the world. And this is coming from a very risk-averse person!!

Clean down where you can as well as you can and leave a note for your colleague plus email your manager (who can read it whenever they please) and, again, breathe! 🌹

Given its

1. your first day back
2. your manager wasn't there to guide you to the correct desk
3. your colleague wasn't there either
4. you couldn't have found out where you were supposed to sit until you had logged on to a computer and presumably waded through all the emails. I would
5. stop worrying. You are not psychic.

A pretty massive cock-up would have been to email the personal details, including salaries and medical histories of everyone in the office, in a group email...

All you can do is apologise and make sure the desk is clean. Make sure your manager knows and let him handle it if you'd feel more comfortable with that.

Yea I really wouldn’t be worried about this - you cleaned the desk - I wouldn’t even mention it unless they say something and then you can explain what happened

Stop panicking first. You couldn’t possibly have known what the email said until you read it. And you couldn’t read it until you logged in- so it doesn’t matter that you sat at your original desk. RE colleagues desk, if there’s no way of being able to remove your log in ( have you totally shut down and restarted it? ) either way, you’ve done it, you cleaned up, no harm done. Just stay at your desk, leave her a note saying you sat there, but sterilised it. If she’s than panicky she can sterilise it again, or sit at the unused desk. I imagine this type of things will be happening all over the place. It’s totally natural in some work places to change desk and I imagine many people will do it without thinking. You have not majorly messed up. You made an oopsy which is easily rectified. My work place had hit deals so bad that they actually removed what they deemed ‘surplus’ desks from the offices..... two or three people using one desk in a DAY depending what they had to do and where they had to be ( dealt with public). So I imagine people are constantly doing this.

• hot desks. Not hit deals. Bloody auto correct!

If you switch the computer off at the wall I think it should go back to a normal sign in page without your name when it's switched back on.

A pretty massive cock-up would have been to email the personal details, including salaries and medical histories of everyone in the office, in a group email...

Wheres the fun in that?, got to include the seniour male staff carrying on with the junior feamale staffers;!!!

And any other decent scandals!

Say it must be an IT blip? If they persist ask them to log a call with Microsoft?

God I wish my job and my life had so little stress.

^

This. Fuck me blind, people have nothing to worry about

Tbh your manager is at fault for not telling you verbally. How were you supposed to read the email telling you which computer to use unless you logged on first?

I hope you're feeling calmer now 🌷

Honestly this is not a massive cock up.

The onus was on them to tell you what has changed, BEFORE you did something they wouldn't want you to.

I am extremely risk averse (I'd have resigned from your job in a hospital) & even I wouldn't be bothered by you having done this. It's not your fault and nothing a good wipe won't sort.

I'd email them both to say what happened & that I'd wiped it all down, but I wouldn't be apologising for doing something that was the norm pre covid that you didn't think about having probably changed.

Cut yourself some slack, it'll soon be time to go home to your baby...first day is tough, without all of this!,

God that’s your idea of a “massive cock up at work” really ?!

This ^

Clean the damn computer and stop over reacting

Just wipe down the computers and send an email. It's really not a big deal.

I thought the cock up was going to be sending loads of money to the wrong person or a letter with confidential medical information to the wrong person. They're proper cock ups.

@Justaboy

A pretty massive cock-up would have been to email the personal details, including salaries and medical histories of everyone in the office, in a group email...

Wheres the fun in that?, got to include the seniour male staff carrying on with the junior feamale staffers;!!!

And any other decent scandals!

Hee! Hee! 🤣🤣

Clean it leave a note to say what you have done date and time it, apologise and send not to Manager as to what happened and why and when you saw messages re not using desks, explain what action you have taken and that is enough

A massive cock up would be driving into the post that holds the keypad to the gate, completely demolishing it and leaving the gate unable to be opened. Twice
A colleague, not me

Thanks all. Finding it really daunting coming back after so long especially now everything is so different. Had a little meltdown. I know it could be worse. Thanks for the advice. Half hour left.

Bung line manager an arse covering email. Job done

Oh OP, you poor women.

The cock up is theirs and theirs alone.

You OBVIOUSLY should have been informed BEFORE you returned.

YOU need to be pissed off at NOT being fully informed about protocols before you returned so that you weren't needlessly upset.....

Mind yourself