AIBU to ask for advice in case I get fired?

[firealarmhell]

Two weeks ago my manager pulled me aside and it's come to light I made a mistake at work. A big one. I've only worked there since January so they could easily fire me. I made this mistake several more times before a senior staff member noticed. I'm now under investigation at work. I haven't made this mistake since they informed me. However, I've been off work for a week with covid and I return to work tomorrow, I'm absolutely dreading it. I feel sick with nerves. My partner asked me if I've already been fired and was using covid to hide it. That made me feel awful.

My partner was has been unsupportive. I told her about my fears and she ranted to me about affording the bills if I get fired. She's right, the bills are a concern but I feel worse than ever. I'm so ashamed of messing up at work and I feel I have nobody to talk to. I'm in tears constantly, can't sleep and have a pit of dread in my stomach. Been under investigation has massively affected my mental health. I'm convinced I'm going to get fired tomorrow when I go back.

I have no idea what to do if I get fired. I'm hoping someone will be able to give me some advice :(

What was the impact?
I think that's quite important.
We've all cocked up at some point but there's a difference between forgetting an attachment on an email and forgetting to pay a supplier or submit payroll info for 100's of staff (disclaimer I don't work in payroll and have no clue re how payroll is managed )

Anyway. Buck should stop with the person who should have been checking your work.
You're new!

For everyone asking whether it's because she wasn't trained properly, it's irrelevant.
They can still sack her.

If loads of people were doing it wrong because of bad training it would have been identified quicker.

OP why are they investigating? The only reason I can think is if they're trying to decide whether it's a process error or whether you're stealing. Is that the case?

Also how did you respond when they flagged the issue? Did you apologise and ask for extra training? Did you get defensive?

@HumourReplacementTherapy

Anyway. Buck should stop with the person who should have been checking your work. You're new!

She's been there 3 months. She said she received the training needed to do the job.

OP,

Honestly at this stage, the fact that they are even bothering with an investigation is good news, AS you've only been there 3 months, they can let you go without a reason anyway, The fact that they are going to the bother might mean that they are planning on keeping you on.
If the worst happens., it happens. Noone has died and you will absolutely get another job in the climate.

If they were going to fire you, I think they'd have done it when the mistake was discovered.

I expect, if they're reasonable people, they also know that you should have had more training and that the mistake should have been picked up sooner.

If you are fitting in well and doing your job well in all other regards, I expect this is redeemable.

When discussing it, take care not to blame others or be defensive. Fine to say that in retrospect you should've asked for more training, or that you thought you were doing your work correctly as hadn't heard otherwise. Draw a line under it. It won't happen again. You've learnt a lot from the whole experience.

If you haven't made the same mistake again since it was pointed out, then I can't see the problem. As it wasn't even formally given to you as a written instruction,it can't be that desperately important. And if the worst happens, don't worry about references-I can't imagine listing a job lasting three months on a CV.

@girlmom21

For everyone asking whether it's because she wasn't trained properly, it's irrelevant. They can still sack her.

If loads of people were doing it wrong because of bad training it would have been identified quicker.

OP why are they investigating? The only reason I can think is if they're trying to decide whether it's a process error or whether you're stealing. Is that the case?

Also how did you respond when they flagged the issue? Did you apologise and ask for extra training? Did you get defensive?

I'm under investigation for not following the method. I am not under suspicion for theft. You're absolutely right I can get sacked and I have no legal recourse, I've only worked there three months!

I did apologise, I answered all their questions. I don't think I was defensive, I said I would never make the same mistake again and I haven't.

However, I don't think received enough training upon reflection. I have zero supervision at work, I have to find someone if I need help. I don't know how to say that to my manager without making it seem like I'm throwing my trainer under the bus?

If your partner were a man, there would have been a chorus of ‘LTB’ by now. MN double standards in full force here.

@firealarmhell speak to your manager. It's not about throwing your trainer under the bus but ensuring staff are competent enough to do the job.

They'll only have the same problem with your replacement if they sack you then don't provide full training again.

If you haven't been given a detailed, written process they can't blame you for not following it.

If the mistake was that bad should they not have picked it up sooner?
I think if they have made up their mind that you go then there’s probably not much you can do given how long you’ve been there. If it’s borderline then what you and PP have said about training will be useful along with a good attitude. I know it’s hard but if it doesn’t go your way then you’re not a terrible person, you just made a mistake. Don’t beat yourself up but start thinking of a plan B. You don’t say what industry you’re in but there are a lot of vacancies around, you can leave it off your CV or if they’ll give you a reference you can just say it wasn’t a good fit. Don’t let your whole sense of self worth depend on the outcome of this!

If I'd just employed someone new, I would certainly have been supervising and checking their work while they settled in, and it doesn't sound like anyone did that with you. You mention that the paperwork was checked and nobody noticed, and that the written procedure doesn't include the step you got wrong, so I think they're being really bloody harsh to investigate you rather than giving you a verbal warning and making sure it doesn't happen again.

To be honest, though, it sounds to me as if your partner is more of a problem than your work situation. She should be a lot more supportive to you. You made a mistake under difficult circumstances; these things happen. She should be reassuring you and building up your confidence, not shouting at you; all she's doing is making the situation worse and she should be able to see that. Does she have past form for treating you like that?

It does sound as if your partner is unsupportive. If money is tight, I expect it comes from a place of stress and worry.

Without knowing the mistake you made, it is difficult to know whether you did something really silly - which doesn't excuse but might explain her frustration with you - or whether it was an easy mistake that anyone could have made.

My reaction to something like this might also be influenced by the perpetrator's response. If you played it down, got defensive or didn't give credence to her worries about the bills then again I could understand that more than if you were genuinely upset and remorseful but she didn't care.

hope she's more supportive once she's had time to think it all through

First things first, OP. Your partner sounds awful, and that can't be helping but try to put that to one side.
Go to work, attend the meetings, it sounds as though you have already held your hand up to the mistakes and i think that reflects well on you.

If they don't fire you, ask if you can have someone go through your process with you with the notes you made during your training, just to make sure you aren't missing any steps or whatever (although it does sound as though you do know the processes)

If the worst comes to the worst, you know where you went wrong and you are only human. I would also think (but not say) that the person checking your work should have found the mistake sooner. That is for your own peace of mind though. Try your best not to seem to be trying to shift blame.

You aren't the first person to be fired, and you won't be the last, if it does happen. It doesn't help you now but it may later. When you start a new job, and you are being trained, you might want to ask them to put the training into a document. You and the trainer sign off each section that a) they have shown you and you have learned to their standard and b) you have been shown and you have understood the training

That makes you and your trainer concentrate on what you need to know.

Then you need to look at your relationship, I'm afraid.

I have zero supervision at work, I have to find someone if I need help

It's hard to comment without knowing your workplace, but I wouldn't necessarily go in too hard with this - after all a certain degree of autonomy's often expected, and micromanaging can bring even more problems of its own

I agree that the mistakes should have been picked up when you handed over the finished "product" though, and would probably raise that

Have you considered just applying for jobs while you've been off sick, just in case?

What is the impact? Financial? Can it be fixed?

It’s a horrible thing @firealarmhell I resigned before being sacked once and it was because I kept being accused of doing things wrong. Admittedly I was but when the Union woman challenged my line manager, the line manager admitted that I hadn’t even been told about said processes let alone trained in them 😤 By that point, everything had got so stressful I just decided to leave. Anyway, I genuinely sympathise. There’s loads of work out there so if you don’t want to be there anymore start looking tonight.

I don't understand "under investigation" - they know that the "error" happened, you haven't denied it, it hasn't happened again since they told you the correct procedure - whay are ther supposed to be investigating exactly?
Recruitment is expensive and time consuming - why would they terminate the contract of someone for a mistake that has resulted from poor training?

I'd be able to advise you if I knew what you did for a living.

If you have experience you are pretty much going to walk into another similar job. It would be great to have more information. But basically get another job. Join agencies, upload your CV now to online places and book meetings with agencies now for this week ready and you can cancel if you don't need them.

In your situation, try and ride it out. If you are called to a meeting to sack you, ask that you are able to resign instead

I have been under investigation too and ended up being managed out. It is a horrible feeling, but you will get through it. What you do need is a supportive partner. Have you been able to talk to her about how you're feeling?

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going back to work this afternoon and I'm nervous but I feel better for this thread. I think I'll be looking for another job regardless of the outcome because I can't see myself moving on from this.

I can't understand what kind of work you do that is regimented enough to throw the full weight of an investigation at you for mistakes but clearly not serious enough for them to offer full training and support .
Either way I wish you lots of luck as it's a horrible situation .