I think I’m going to lose my job- please help

[Terrifiedterrance]

anyone Lost any work property? Laptop, phone, tablet? What happened? I’m terrified im having a panic attack- I don’t know what happened

So you had it Friday lunchtime? At home or work? Did you have a different bag/coat to normal? Check them all, every pocket. Shopping bag? Can you log into something to see when it was last used? Could anyone visiting you have picked it up by accident? Did you check the bin? I have nice found a remote control in the kitchen bin. Check laundry basket.

You mentioned having torn your home apart, might it be in the office?

I wouldn't worry - contact your manager and IT tomorrow. They'll have the device number linked to your name and likely be able to remotely factory restore it and remove data from it.
They may give you a 'look after it better' but I doubt they'll sack you.

A boss once lost their phone and just got it replaced with a less good model as punishment 😅

I find that when I get in a panic looking for something it actually makes me less likely to find it.

So, if you can accept the loss in your head and tidy up and calm down, you probably stand a better chance of finding it.

Lets be logical about this.

Have the dogs every buried your other similar device? Has that ended up in the freezer? Have you ever thrown yours out with the trash? I am guessing no. Have you mislaid it in the house and spent hours saying "Where the fuck is my phone/tablet/whatever?!", and then its turned up? Yes.

Chances are, from what you have said, it will be in the house somewhere and in your panic you have missed it, maybe even burying it under other stuff when looking for it (I have done that before!). So tidy up and get your house back under your control so you wont feel in a state just looking at it. Then look again methodically. Putting everything back where it belongs. Cushions off sofa, then back on. Stuff out of handbag, then back in etc. It helps you to feel more in control and makes succss more likely.

Fingers crossed.

I'm NHS - I followed the correct reporting procedures, nothing happened to me. It turned up packed in a box about 5 years later - our office had moved locations twice in that time (talking miles apart). I was convinced I had dropped it outside or left it in a client's home - when all the time it had been following me around. Your job is safe OP.

I've lost a work phone before, it's all encrypted. Work IMEI blocked the device and blocked the sim. Had a fact find but no further action taken as I'd taken reasonable care of it.

Turned up 4 months later down the side of the sofa. Look there 🙈 it was properly tucked down

If it's an iPad, we have thousands and there are loads wither dorken or go missing on a regualr basis. They are just blocked and replaced.

The last time I "lost" my work phone and panicked because I'd disabled the really annoying PIN lock (so I thought I'd get a disciplinary), it had slipped off the bed into the floor and I'd kicked it under. But I'm sure you've checked there!

I also had a laptop stolen from my vehicle, the bastards used a signal jammer and helped themselves when I ran into the services for a sandwich. I braced myself for an almighty bollocking for not being more observant that the car hadn't locked properly, but our terrifying Head of Ops literally shrugged and said it happens. Everything was encrypted anyway.

This sounds really stupid and I've always scoffed at it until I tried it flippantly recently. I was going crazy trying to find something that had vanished into thin air, and I tried speaking aloud the prayer to the patron Saint of lost things, St Anthony (just Google it, there are a couple of iterations) - wandered back into the room I'd checked a hundred times and there it was in the most ridiculous place.

Check in the washing baskets or toy boxes. Kids move things without even registering it. Hope you find it!

In my house small things have usually been accidentally kicked under the sofa or bed, or on the divan next to the bedside table with the mattress sliding out of alignment.

In the big organisations I've worked for a lost phone would not lead to disciplinary, at all. That would be far more likely for negligent loss of data e.g. left it unlocked in a public cafe, (somehow) didn't use passwords or security keys etc, and even then it would be an extreme outcome.

You'll get given a new one and asked to reread your information security policies I expect

In our place, our IT people all have a way of monitoring where our phones and devices did their last known ping. Might be the same for you? Could help track it down even when the battery is dead.

I've done exactly the same as you. Lost a device - it was a phone. But kind of knew I hadn't full blown 'lost it' lost it. Thought it might have fallen out of my pocket when I got the dog from the vet etc etc. But all seemed so unlikely. I confided in IT who confirmed that it had last pinged somewhere v close to my house....and it turned up under my blooming sofa. Doh. But countless colleagues have lost loads of things. Most big orgs buy so much kit that they get the hardware practically free - the telcos make all their money from the connection deals. In fact the telcos see the hardware as the lost leaders, they're so keen to sign up big companies on contracts. You'll be fine.

You can’t be fired over something like this. It’s incredibly hard to just fire someone. Employers need to go through quite a laborious process. I really wouldn’t worry. You’re not the first or last person to lose company property.

you will not lose your job , do you think you may have been pick pocketed ?

Someone in DH’s team at work has lost his work laptop twice. They’ve now changed policy to say do not take company property with you when you go out boozing. My friend left her work iPad in Caffè Nero, she works for the government so they had to wipe it remotely👀All of the above still have jobs.

When I lost my work phone it had slipped off a unit and was wedged right at the back between the cupboard and the wall.

Have you had a torch out to check around any furniture you may have left it on? Or worn a raincoat or something you wouldn't normally and it's in the pocket?

I work for HR at a local council. I took my laptop out and just left it on a train. Husband had his stolen by someone opening his backpack on the underground. Neither of us lost our job.

Report it to IT immediately and they will raise a data protection concern.

I have worked across many public and private organisations. People lose phones all the time.

Oh, dear. People lose things. I am sure you are not the first person where you work to lose a phone. Maybe a warning?

I understand and sympathise with your situation! A few weeks ago I lost my work phone. It is dual sim and work let me use it as my personal mobile also. It was gone for about 2 days (non work days thankfully) turned up in the garden so don't give up hope!

I also work for a very small company I would have been able to approach my manager are you working tomorrow? Could you talk to your manager?

”This is exactly what all the encryption on the phone is for. You'll be fine as long as you follow procedure - report it as likely lost as soon as possible as not doing so it what will get you in trouble. They can likely wipe it remotely.”

This. Eons ago I left my blackberry on a cafe table in Belgium. More recently I ran my work iPhone over with the car (accidentally). I reported it on both occasions. They were replaced without comment. These kinds of mistakes happen. Your level of panic suggests to me that you’re in a toxic workplace.

Wages? Wow he should not have agreed to that.

It wasn’t illegal in his case. We signs contracts for it. He left them on the dashboard in his work van unlocked on a main road. Had the vehicle been locked but broken into he wouldn’t have had to pay, but unfortunately he didn’t take any reasonable efforts to secure the items and he had to pay up. Not sure why any employer would cover it in those instances 🤷🏻‍♀️

Wow.... so no action?

Please don't panic, OP. It sounds like it is properly secured so it isn't that big of a deal. The worst that would happen in my organisation is that we would ask you to pay to replace it. You certainly wouldn't be losing your job over an innocent mistake that could happen to anyone.

You will be fine - report it to work asap, they might lock your profile until you get a chance to change passwords and monitor any attempted access via your account. Then after they have done all this - you will find your phone :) Honestly, if it's encrypted and locked - it happens and it will be ok.

Definitely pray to Saint Anthony and ask for his help to retrieve it, things always turn up when I’m really desperate and do that!