How to deal with unfolding work nightmare

[Burger223344]

I’ve fucked up and my boss kind of knows.

The full extent and impact of the problems will only become clear to clients week by week over the next 4 weeks and then each week until Christmas

I’ve basically got some numbers wrong and many people have acted on that information and soon they will find out

The knowledge of what I’ve done, what is going to happen and how people will feel let down and unhappy is killing me inside - I can’t sleep, can’t eat, feel sick and panicky all the time. I can’t carry on like this for the next 6 weeks (I think people will see the full extent by then)

What can I do? How do I get this under control? I just want to run away. Please help!

You own up and sort it out, not keeping it a secret and blabbing on social.

You're so worried BECAUSE you have been recognised as a key member. You probably feel you have to be perfect but like PP have said, everyone makes mistakes, especially the government! I work with someone who is meant to be a whizz on reporting and Excel: every time they create a report, there is a mistake. Be kind to yourself, your manager knows and is less bothered.

Talk to your manager again, on Monday. As soon as you can. Explain how worried you are. Explain you have let her down, yourself down, your clients etc. But ask her what it looks like from her POV.

A PP said that it might be within the normal range of error/tolerance that the manager sees over a normal year, and that may be why she appears to be less worried than you. Ask her, tell her that you want to understand the bigger picture - that can only go in your favour.

Until you have spoken to her, DO NOT start communicating to all and sundry about the situation. It may damage your reputation - and your manager's. Agree a communication strategy with your manager. Discuss how you can monitor the impact, correct issues as they arise, and - for the longer term - put measures in place to prevent a repeat of this or anything similar. Does your organisation do 'lessons learned' after major project implementations?

I don't know if this is relevant, but I used to have to remind myself that when male colleagues messed up, they did not go around apologising profusely to everyone for weeks on end. Instead, there was one brief 'sorry, I fucked up' then they moved on to dealing with the consequences, and the FU was never mentioned again.

Fess up, sort it out, offer a plan to remedy.

Clients and other stakeholders will soon learn of the supply chain difficulties, labour shortages, and COVID related disruptions that caused the issue.