Made a big mistake at work and now I'm scared!

[squashedalmondcroissant]

It was my first time closing up at work on my own recently, I've done it only twice before with a manager on hand to ask questions. Last time was over a week ago.

I made a stupid error (which was totally my fault, I admit), which resulted in an item outside being stolen from the store.

Aibu to be bricking it?! I'm devastated I could have done something so silly and I'm now terrified they will fire me over this 😭 I really wanted this job. Aib ridiculous and overthinking it or do you think it is likely I will lose my job over this?

I didn't say the business wouldn't have insurance @pyri I'm wondering how without knowing anything about what was stolen posters can confidently say that it will be covered.

Do they know the terms of the policy? The excess? The conditions about leaving valuable outside over night?

The policy on how/when they write off stock hasn't got anything to do with how they will view the OP's mistake

@Myturnatlast

As someone who has made many stupid mistakes over the years I find the best way is to own it, confess, offer to put it right and tell them your plan for making sure it never happens again...

Good luck!

Exactly this

It was a week ago. What did your bosses say when you told them? You have told them, right?

You shouldn't get into too much trouble over this unless it's part of a pattern of problems. As a one off, if I were your manager I'd want to know how the mistake was made (rushing, mind on something else etc) and together come up with a way to reduce the chance of it happening again. I wouldn't sack someone for an honest mistake unless the consequences were incredibly serious.

You shouldn't be held liable for the item that was stolen. The employer is liable for whatever their staff do. Otherwise there would be no need for corporate manslaughter laws.

I would write and laminate if you can a check list of what needs doing as part of the locking up process - and present that as your solution to prevent the same happening again when you confess to your mistake.

This reminds me of a colleague who very many years ago put the wrong notes in the cash machine boxes (think putting 20s where the 10's should have been)

It caused a hell of a queue for that cash machine on the high street and cost the bank dearly but she got away with a slap on the wrist and a verbal warning.

Fess up to the bosses, honest mistake, won't happen again, they shouldn't leave someone so new to the role to lock up without a clear checklist in place

@marqueses

I didn't say the business wouldn't have insurance *@pyri* I'm wondering how without knowing anything about what was stolen posters can confidently say that it will be covered.

Do they know the terms of the policy? The excess? The conditions about leaving valuable outside over night?

The policy on how/when they write off stock hasn't got anything to do with how they will view the OP's mistake

well no one knows the exact answer to that, but it would be a poor business that couldn’t the cover of any item of stock that got lost / damaged

Each business takes risks. They need appropriate insurance / policies or to pay someone to take care more

You don't need to offer to pay, but I'd expect you to come to me and say "I did this, it resulted in this. I've made myself a checklist to use every time so that I can remind myself to do everything I was shown in the training. I'm sorry"

@HaveringWavering, sorry to be unclear, the incident where I made the mistake was recently, it was the last shift I closed up where I did the training that was a week ago. I'd forgotten some things I needed to do since some time had passed.

I admitted the mistake immediately, it would have been silly not to as it was obviously my doing and I didn't want to risk being in more trouble. I've been officially warned but they were quite nice about it and could see it was an honest mistake! I admitted that I was a bit distracted as both of my dc's have tested positive for Covid and I am worrying about them (I fortunately am negative). Not an excuse I know, but it clearly factored in more that I had realised.

I've made myself a checklist and clarified some things with the closing procedure so I think it's ok. I was just panicking this morning since I'm so new and can be sacked for any reason really in my probation period 😬

Well that seems fair.
Put it behind you now (while learning the lesson).
You've shown yourself to be honest and responsible. You're prepared to learn and accept responsibility. All very desirable attributes in an employee.

OK. Look, you’ll be fine if this doesn’t become a pattern of behaviour. No employer really wants the hassle and admin of training and recruiting someone else. As long as you don’t keep doing this kind of thing they are unlikely to take it further. But it does mean that you have used up a life, if you see what I mean.

Good luck, and sorry about your kids having Covid, hope it’s not too disruptive and you all stay well.

Oh well that's a good update op! You did exactly the right thing by fessing up immediately!

Tbh, I think it was quite harsh giving you an official warning when it was the very first time you had closed up by yourself on your own but obviously I don't know the circumstances or the value of the thing that was stolen.

Anyway, hope all goes well for you in future and that your dc recover soon!

My colleague once locked up the business, went home then, next morning couldn't find keys. She had the house pulled apart, checked every inch of her car and the company had to replace all the locks as the keys just couldn't be found.
Couple of weeks later she stopped at a petrol station on her way home and the chap said "You didn't happen to come in and leave some keys a while ago did you?" She was mortified as had completely forgotten stopping there!

Mumsnet is one of the worst places to get employment advice. Of course you don't offer to pay. I'm pleased it worked out ok.