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Original poster

Share with me your big f%#ck ups at work to make me feel better!

293 replies

Hotankles · 01/05/2021 19:32

Absolutely ballsed up at work today. It was a big one. Totally my fault and had an upset client. I was mortified and apologied profusely. I can’t say what it is as it’s really outing.

It’s really knocked my confidence and can’t stop obsessing about it Sad

What dingers have you done ?

OP posts:
MaryBoBary · 01/05/2021 19:35

I once sent an order of over £85,000 worth of marketing materials to print with incorrect information on. It was an actual nightmare.

topcat2014 · 01/05/2021 19:36

Well, many years ago I was working for a company that was in financial distress.

(I was head of finance).

The bank rang on Friday morning, saying they needed £3m by 3pm or they would bounce the supplier pay run.

I tried getting money from our biggest customer in Sweden, but didn't get anywhere - and then just went home.

08:00 on Monday the MD's PA (back in the day when they had such things) rang me to say I needed to attend.

He had been summoned to the bank, on Saturday, 50 miles away, without knowing anything about it.

I offered to resign - but they didn't accept, and I spent a few more years there.

A learning experience - to this day..

(Plus I sent some foreign payments to the wrong country, but they were minor..)

topcat2014 · 01/05/2021 19:38

Honestly, OP, if you don't end up making the odd fuckup I would say you need to aim for a promotion until you get to a level where the job does sometimes go a bit wrong.

Otherwise you are probably underplaying your talents.

Getafuckinggripman · 01/05/2021 19:43

One time the company I was working for spent a fuck ton of time looking for an original document. It was big time... I shredded it. Just escaped the sack. 17 years later still terrified of shredders.

MaltedMilk88 · 01/05/2021 19:44

About 5 weeks into a job at a smallish company I made a bad purchase which ended up costing circa 20k as they all broke, lost the client and nearly ended up being sued in court, my boss was really good about it but then about 5 weeks after that I wrote my company car off (boss hadn't leased or financed it but bought it outright
For a small company this was a big deal and I was on tenterhooks for quite a while afterwards!

Crocidura · 01/05/2021 19:49

As a radio producer I once made a programme too short by mistake, leaving them with a 20 minute hole in the schedule.

Original poster
Hotankles · 01/05/2021 19:53

@MaryBoBary

I once sent an order of over £85,000 worth of marketing materials to print with incorrect information on. It was an actual nightmare.
Shock Christ!
OP posts:
Original poster
Hotankles · 01/05/2021 19:55

@topcat2014

Honestly, OP, if you don't end up making the odd fuckup I would say you need to aim for a promotion until you get to a level where the job does sometimes go a bit wrong.

Otherwise you are probably underplaying your talents.

That’s really kind but it was a proper brain fart fuck up. Flowers
OP posts:
ponderinginpoughkeepsie · 01/05/2021 19:56

I started a thread on this ages ago and there were some great ones, it might be on classics.
My fave was someone accidentally releasing leprous armadillos into the British countryside. I think the PM had to be involved. I always think of that one when I've messed up.

Original poster
Hotankles · 01/05/2021 19:58

@Crocidura

As a radio producer I once made a programme too short by mistake, leaving them with a 20 minute hole in the schedule.
😂😂😂
OP posts:
Original poster
Hotankles · 01/05/2021 20:00

@ponderinginpoughkeepsie

I started a thread on this ages ago and there were some great ones, it might be on classics. My fave was someone accidentally releasing leprous armadillos into the British countryside. I think the PM had to be involved. I always think of that one when I've messed up.
I’m going to go see if I can find it!

Thanks you lovely lot I think I’m starting to get over myself a bit ( or maybe it’s the wine!)

OP posts:
MumandnotMum · 01/05/2021 20:05

I set the work kitchen on fire. Definitely up there with the scariest things that have ever happened to me.

Hellocatshome · 01/05/2021 20:10

My first job out of Uni I was tasked with booking flights for a senior manager to go on a company trip to Florida. I had no guidance and no one to ask so I booked it all and was very proud of myself for getting a good deal. Anyway when he came back he was furious because I had booked him in economy instead of business class. He had a huge rant at me in front of a lot of people. When he finally left the room. One of his fellow senior managers looked at me and said "what a funking wanker he is" at which point I burst into tears.

NakedBanana · 01/05/2021 20:11

@Crocidura

As a radio producer I once made a programme too short by mistake, leaving them with a 20 minute hole in the schedule.

Omg this made me laugh. I'm so sorry, how did they fill the time?? :)

Hellocatshome · 01/05/2021 20:11

Typo with funking but you get the idea Grin

caramelsalted · 01/05/2021 20:11

Completely outing but as I used to work with mainly men I might be safe.

I worked in IT systems for a big bank.
At 2am we had a manual take to do that applied the debits from cash points to people's accounts. This task was automated the other 4 times a day but overnight while the batch was running we had to input a manual command.

Well I was so worried about putting I the wrong one that I put in The wrong one and instead of just applying a couple of hours of transactions it applied the whole days worth over again.

The feeling of complete panic - bowl loosening realisation that you've fucked up big time is something you don't forget.

I

Original poster
Hotankles · 01/05/2021 20:12

@MumandnotMum

I set the work kitchen on fire. Definitely up there with the scariest things that have ever happened to me.
Shock yup that’s bigger than my fuck up!
OP posts:
Crocidura · 01/05/2021 20:15

Omg this made me laugh. I'm so sorry, how did they fill the time?? :)

They had to find something in the archive and put it out as an unplanned repeat Blush

I felt like such an idiot and was nearly crying when I had to phone up the presentation dept and tell them what I'd done, but I got lucky, the most lovely guy answered and told me that "short is never a problem" and not to worry.

NatMoz · 01/05/2021 20:18

Not me but I'm sure a pretend practice session of a bomb disposal exercise ended but they forgot to remove the fake bomb from a football stadium, possibly Old Trafford causing the match that night to be evacuated as the 'bomb' was found in the toilets.

I always think about this when I've had a bad day at work.

PositiveAttitude · 01/05/2021 20:19

I once paid a supplier about £33,000 more than I should have because I missed a decimal point out! Luckily the supplier was honest and phoned the boss and asked what he was paying for.

Another time I was totally fed up with my boss (a different one) and I wrote out a long email to my friend expressing my frustration and my thoughts on this man. I definitely did not hold back! As I clicked the send button my life went into slow motion as I saw my boss' email address in the address bar instead of my friend's. After a sleepless night I had a VERY awkward conversation with the boss the next morning. BlushBlushBlush

Tinselandlights · 01/05/2021 20:19

I work in marketing and sent a London Underground advertising campaign to print with a bloody typo on it. Not a spelling mistake but one word that looks similar to another but means something different.

It was for a hardback book where the author's previous book had been made into a film starring Tom Hardy so was a massive deal for the company. Didn't realise my error until one of the most senior staff members pointed it out, I could have cringed my skin off!

16purplecolour16 · 01/05/2021 20:20

Amazing the fuck ups and people weren’t sacked. You are blessed sisters. Those of us sacked for minor mistakes carry that tension for a long time.

Brazilianut · 01/05/2021 20:22

Not myself personally but I will never forget the look of the CEO of our cancer research laboratory scream shout and swear running out of the office holding his head in his hands as red as a beetroot.

He had been stringing two major potential clients along and sent an offer email and the reasons why he had chosen them to the wrong client/company.

He was beside himself. I’m glad it was the CEO which shows human error affects us all!

Mypremiumwhat · 01/05/2021 20:23

This is on a much smaller scale than other posts, but years ago I worked for the post office in my home country and we used to deliver passports by express post that didn't require a signature for delivery. One day, I had a passport for a house, but I got distracted and accidentally put it into the house next door. I realised my mistake straight away but didn't think much of it as I knew the family were nice and friendly with the neighbours so just assumed they would drop it in. How wrong was I 🙈 Turned out the family from the house I had delivered it to were gone on holidays and were not returning for a week, and the guy who the passport was meant for was due to fly out the next day on a modelling job to LA. Nobody had a spare key to the house to retrieve the passport and the poor model had to rebook his flights and get an emergency passport in the meantime Blush So embarrassing but tbf he was very nice about it and wasn't cross.

bellalou1234 · 01/05/2021 20:25

Urgh mental health nurse..my band 7 tasked me with doing a strategy plan and risk management plan for a new risky patient.. I messed up . No harm done..thankfully but i feel thick as fuck within the team

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