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Original poster

F*cked up massively - work related. Perspective needed

628 replies

Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 22:16

I have an important business trip abroad tomorrow which myself and several other colleagues are going on. It is a major event in our industry and we have been planning it for a while. I have done the majority of the planning and have enjoyed it and was excited to attend. Our company director is going along with my boss and several coworkers, one of which reports to me.

I have lost my passport. I only realised this at 4pm today when packing. I am meant to fly out on an early morning flight. We have a very tidy minimalist home and have searched everywhere, it is definitely not here. I last travelled a few months ago and can only think I dropped it somewhere between security and my car.

I have called my boss who has told the MD. My boss was understanding and kind about it, I don’t know what the MDs reaction was. I’m absolutely gutted. Missing out on the event is a horrible feeling but is actually the least of it, that will wear off once it is over at the end of this week. It is more the damage to my reputation and how people might think of me going forward. I’m honestly considering leaving and finding a new job, as I don’t know how I will mentally bounce back from it.

Looking for reassurance or perhaps any similar tales or fucking up at work.

OP posts:
HerNameIsIncontinentiaButtocks · 01/05/2023 23:18

As all prior posters - do not worry about this. There'll be some mild eyerolling at the worst. You can probably use this as an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to work closely and rapidly with the folks who are going, to make sure they're fully up to speed with all the needed things. If it makes sense, you can be the remote backup on a video call.

Original poster
Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 23:18

@FinallyHere Thank you so much for the practical advice. And that’s helpful to consider the positives which could come from this.

OP posts:
CabbageKale · 01/05/2023 23:19

Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 22:25

I did think this, and also that there are worse things you can do at work. I’m just very hard on myself when it comes to work and am very cautious to not damage my reputation or give anyone any ammunition against me. Doesn’t help that the industry is male dominated and I’m a woman.

Show quote history

No man would resign over this!

Annoyingnamechangerperson · 01/05/2023 23:19

Can you still get same day replacement passports? Is that an option

Original poster
Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 23:21

Annoyingnamechangerperson · 01/05/2023 23:19

Can you still get same day replacement passports? Is that an option

@Annoyingnamechangerperson I checked and it says in the case of a lost passport you have to wait 2 days before you get the same day appointment. I was due to fly home Friday, if I can’t fly out Wed there isn’t really any point going.

OP posts:
2021mumma · 01/05/2023 23:21

Could it be in your coat pocket. I lost my wallet for a month and found it in my smart coat i hardly wear in my wardrobe!

mumda · 01/05/2023 23:22

We found a lost item under the car seat after the car had been properly cleaned.

St Anthony is a star!
Although I've never asked him for help finding the Christmas cards for the MIL and PIL that we lost three years running, somewhere in this house is a stash of expensive cards.

JudgeJ · 01/05/2023 23:23

Annoyingnamechangerperson · 01/05/2023 23:19

Can you still get same day replacement passports? Is that an option

Depends how close you are to the Passport Office. I couldn't find mine four days before a US trip, we'd turned the house upside down for hours. Eventually I booked an emergency appointment at the Passport Office next day, went to put some of the mess back in boxes, opened a box containing totally different things and there was the passport!

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 01/05/2023 23:24

Where are you flying to OP? I had sent my passport off to be renewed and it didn't come back in time for a work trip. But as it was to Ireland I was able to fly with my driving license as ID. Not sure where you're going but you might be able to use another form of ID?

Original poster
Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 23:24

@mumda Ive still got my doubts about the car but I just can’t think where it would be in there. I pulled out the mats and looked so carefully under the seats and down the sides.

OP posts:
AngelaChasesBestLife · 01/05/2023 23:25

Did you buy anything at the airport and could have left it that bag? I say this as I lost my driving licence once, only to find it had fallen into a carrier bag of odds and ends months later after I'd had to apply for a new one. What had happened was that I had taken it out of my purse as I needed to send a photo of it for something, and because I hadn't put it straight back in my purse it had got caught up in some stuff which had ended up in this carrier bag of crap. I had turned the house upside down looking for it.

Does your suitcase have a pocket right at the front? I've lost my passport in that pocket before. Did you have any work stuff from that trip it could have got caught up in? Could you have left it in your desk drawer?

Original poster
Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 23:26

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 01/05/2023 23:24

Where are you flying to OP? I had sent my passport off to be renewed and it didn't come back in time for a work trip. But as it was to Ireland I was able to fly with my driving license as ID. Not sure where you're going but you might be able to use another form of ID?

It’s Germany so would definitely need the passport : (

OP posts:
OMG12 · 01/05/2023 23:26

Have you checked under your DDs bed

FangsForTheMemory · 01/05/2023 23:26

Honestly in the Scale of Fuck-Ups this is only about a three out of ten.

coffeeiswgatkeepsmesane · 01/05/2023 23:27

Jewellery box? I once lost mine (usually keep in jewellery box) it had fallen down the back of the drawer in the box, only found it by removing all the drawers.

Which is another thing, if checking drawers, ensure to remove them in case has fallen down the back

NeedToThinkOfOne · 01/05/2023 23:28

This is disappointing for you, but in no way career-ending or a f* up. I’ve forgotten my passport for a work trip before, I only realised that morning at airport hotel. All you’ve done is misplaced it, it’s more a frustration you’re feeling. When I realised, I faked an illness to save face, pretended I’d been vomiting rather than admit I’d forgotten to bring my passport. You’ve been honest and there will be other chances. Hope there’s an option to join meetings/event remotely so you don’t feel like you’re missing out too much.

Stemmingthetide · 01/05/2023 23:29

I don’t know how old your DC is but if you went into their room could they have “posted” it under furniture in their room?

Original poster
Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 23:30

AngelaChasesBestLife · 01/05/2023 23:25

Did you buy anything at the airport and could have left it that bag? I say this as I lost my driving licence once, only to find it had fallen into a carrier bag of odds and ends months later after I'd had to apply for a new one. What had happened was that I had taken it out of my purse as I needed to send a photo of it for something, and because I hadn't put it straight back in my purse it had got caught up in some stuff which had ended up in this carrier bag of crap. I had turned the house upside down looking for it.

Does your suitcase have a pocket right at the front? I've lost my passport in that pocket before. Did you have any work stuff from that trip it could have got caught up in? Could you have left it in your desk drawer?

@AngelaChasesBestLife Good point about the carrier bag, but I remember I didn’t buy anything on the journey home and only had my rucksack. Suitcase is just a hard shell case so no outer pockets I could have put it in.
The only possibility left is that I had some safety gear (shoes, hard hat, hi-viz etc) which was in my suitcase. I unpacked this stuff when I got home and took it back to work in a carrier bag and it is under my desk. I’ve been into the bag since for the safety shoes but I suppose it could be at the bottom of the bag. I couldn’t think how it got there though as that was stuff in my case and the passport couldn’t have been inside the case, but I suppose it was all part of the unpacking process. I arrive at work at 7:30 tomorrow, the flight will be missed but I’ll be checking that bag as soon as I get in.

OP posts:
TheAudie · 01/05/2023 23:31

Not rtft. But have you prayed to St Anthony yet?

Original poster
Stupidworkgirl · 01/05/2023 23:32

Haha I love the number of responses referring to St Anthony! I’d never heard of him before!

OP posts:
WarningToTheCurious · 01/05/2023 23:33

On your last trip you rushed home to see your child before bedtime.

Could you have dropped the passport in DC’s bedroom? Have they put it somewhere? Posted it into a toy, put it on the bookshelf, slipped it under a rug?

I think you’ve done the hardest part by telling your manager that you can’t find your passport. They were OK about it. These things happen. I’ve had much worse things happen at work because I’ve messed up or other people have messed up (I still don’t like to talk about when the power station was taken offline for an hour - even though it wasn’t my fault).

IHateLegDay · 01/05/2023 23:34

St Anthony helps you find things.
St Jude is for hopeless causes.

Pray to both! Keeping my fingers crossed for you xx

IHateLegDay · 01/05/2023 23:34

If you have any cupboards up high, check there

Starseeking · 01/05/2023 23:35

The passport office used to allow people to do a same day emergency new passport, so if they're not still on strike, that may be an option for you to still get to your destination a day late.

Suzi9989 · 01/05/2023 23:36

Did you take it into work to check in or use it to book this trip?

Any DBS checks? Signing someone's passport?

Took into bank to do a verification as you logged out of Internet banking?
Coat pocket or bank statement drawer?

Best of luck finding it