To think I'm fucked

[mysonphillip]

I've made a huge fuck up at work. Big, likely to cost the company around £60k.
Not to mention a load of work.

A genuine mistake made with the best of intentions and while trying to do a good job. I'm generally very good at my job and highly valued I think, so hopefully not a sackable offence, but still shitting myself. I do have treated anxiety too, which isn't helping as you can imagine.

I just work so, so hard and try my best, and this project has been really stressful - perhaps part of the reason the mistake happened. Also married, kids, mortgage etc, and all the day to day stress that goes with that.

AIBU to ask for stories where you made similarly big cock ups and what happened, and how you dealt with it? Just looking for a bit of support and a handhold before I go to my boss on Monday.

I swear I've read this exact OP before 🤔

We all fuck up OP. It’s not the fuck up that matters, it’s how you deal with it. It sounds like you are doing a great job. Fess up, head held high and tell them what you plan to do to put it right/make sure it doesn’t happen again.

As a trainee solicitor, I misunderstood some instructions and removed a restriction from a property title allowing a sale - for £2 million. I seriously considered suicide, but the partner said “this is why we’re insured, Batten”. It didn’t harm my career and I now manage lawyers who also fuck things up from time to time! I try to be like that partner all those years ago.

Not from me, this fuck up came to light this evening.

Above for @Chikapu

Me too, even the 60k bit! What industry are you in OP?

I hope things work out ok for you OP.

But I have to admit being a tiny bit sceptical that you're maybe fishing for stories? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but are you a journalist? I can't see why other people's cock ups would help you feel better about your own situation.
As I say, my apologies if I'm doing you a disservice.

@Yikesafhutt £60k is a rough ballpark, don't want to be too detailed for obvious reasons! I work in IT.

Not me but someone I know worked for a PR company. She signed off on some advertising posters to go up over three cities. Saw one the day they went up and realised it was the wrong one that she had signed off. It was a hideous evening of driving round trying to find them and get it all changed.

Ok good luck with it!

@Gazelda absolutely not a journalist and this is 100% genuine - been here for years but name changed for this. I'm just looking for a bit of solidarity, as I said I'm terribly anxious about it and would be great to hear stories where things turned out ok, or if not, how people coped.

You need to tell your boss now, and not wait for Monday

/journo?

Please try not to worry about the job. I’m sure they can sort things out.

But think about the underlying cause. Is your anxiety causing you make poor decisions at work? By that I mean taking too much on, feeling responsible for things that aren’t really your problem, feeling overwhelmed and unable to ask for help?

Caring too much about things can be as big a problem as caring too little. Being a high achiever with perfectionist tendencies can mean you take on more and more until you eventually hit a wall when something tips you over (perhaps a stressful project). It sounds like you are juggling a lot.

You fucked up, we all do. If it was an honest mistake, all you can do is fess up, apologise, and hold your head up as high as you can. I'm sorry this happened.

Everyone fucks up.

What happened?

I've made significant cock ups and still lived to tell the tale.
The fact that you have a good track record and the project environment being stressful (which is probably a known fact) will hopefully go in your favour.
I work in IT also for what it's worth and so I can imagine the types of mistakes it could be. I'm heading up a team currently and end up triple checking things for fear of messing up.
Keeping everything crossed for you!

I've made a big one this week. I'm not saying any more in case the lazy journos are at it. I've fessed up. Boss then told me that similar has happened before. You can bet your arse I won't do it again..

What did you do?

Thanks so much for this, and most of the others for support. You've hit the nail on the head with how I'm feeling.

I don't want to give any more details for fear of outing myself.

@worraliberty and others who are repeatedly saying journalist - as above, I am not. I work in IT. This is absolutely a genuine situation I'm really struggling with.

Seen far bigger screw ups, caused by sloppy checks and shoddy attention to detail, barely raise an eyeball. 60k is relative to what it means to the business.

But for everyone accusing me of that, and saying you don't understand why I'd be looking for stories of how things worked out for other me who made similar cock ups - thanks very much, you've made me feel a lot worse.

As I said, I work in IT, this happened and there is literally nothing I can do until Monday. Even if I emailed my boss right now he won't read it until Monday when he's back from his holiday abroad.

Leaving this thread now, thanks to those who believed me and offered genuine advice.

Genuinely honest mistakes can be genuinely honestly explained. Remember that

OP, money is just money. We are all human. You will probably land a deal and get the company 120k back- that’s what I’d be aiming to do. Stay positive and motivated and prove them you can bring more money to the table.

I’ve read this before too.