To ask about your worst mistakes at work to make me feel better about my own?

[WhereverElse2019]

Hi all. Messed up royally at work yesterday, found out today. Can't say too much as it's quite a niche role so potentially outing, but needless to say it can be fixed but will likely cost the company money, and also impacts another company who apparently are not happy.

I am relatively new to this job (been here since June) and it's a very complicated job with a high level of responsibility. I am just so annoyed and upset with myself. I'd convinced myself I was going to be sacked. I broke down and cried in front of my manager (so embarrassing and not professional I know!) and he was great about it, reassured me it's absolutely fine and not to worry. But I cannot stop ruminating about it.

What're the biggest mistakes you've made at work? Please say I'm not the only one who's messed up royally 😅

Sent an email to a client that was meant for my manager. Luckily it wasn't against the client just a rant

Oh bless you! If your boss has said it’s fine and not to worry then believe them.

I know someone who thought it was an inset day yesterday so didn’t turn up for school. An adult member of staff, not a child. This person is genuinely amazing at her job and is great to work with, but everyone makes mistakes.

I worked in a pub where the shift lead before me hadn't connected the lines properly and let loose the entire stock across the cellar floor. That was a bad day for everyone, the landlords rage, oh boy.

I don't set a foot wrong.

However, how long have you got for my personal life?

I make/have made plenty of mistakes at work, most things can be fixed and yes they may cost money or take time to fix, but it also then helps make processes more robust and better to stop errors from happening again. Stop beating yourself up, especially if your boss has said it’s ok. I know this is easier said than done. The fact you care will mean a lot to your manager.

I paid the wrong supplier £3k years ago. Luckily they returned it but I was sweating for a while, it was a small company with bad cashflow.

Oh god I've screwed up loads

Managed to insinuate in an interview I was gay, even though I was married to a man etc etc

That kind of shit

I used to be a holiday rep and we’d hand out flight departure cards written by hand.

I put the wrong coach pick up time on someone’s card and they missed their flight home 😭😭 they didn’t question the time being so wrong either.

Emailed the wrong set of parents about a child because two children had identical first names and surnames. Confidential SEN information was included.

So to put things in perspective, I’m a mental health nurse, I’ve very sadly supported a number of patients who have gone on to end their lives.

I’ve worked with staff whose careers have basically ended because of the trauma of a decision they made meaning someone could find a way to end their lives. It’s awful because no nurse ever wants it to happen but it does.

I did cpr on a patient who sadly didn’t survive. It was years ago and it still saddens me now.

Most decisions don’t have any long lasting or really serious implications but for Doctors and Nurses, it really can be devastating for everyone involved.

Op

how much money did your error cost

I was on a whats app work group
One of the members said something completely stupid.i proceeded to let off steam over this to my friend but voice noted it to the group. Noticed straight away within about 1- 2 mins. Felt terrible/ mortified / etc etc but you know its 4 months ago. No one said anything. The likelihood of lots hearing it is small. I didn't wait long enough to hear it as I was so quick to delete so whatever was recorded and sent might have actually been nothing / not !!. But I actually considered leaving over it. I'm told I'm a great worker liked by all but I was and still am mortified and ashamed of myself. #beatthat!!!

Not quite sure yet. Possibly thousands although unlikely to be tens of thousands.

A colleague sent an email to the whole company. Several thousand employees. The vast majority replied to say it wasn't relevant to them. It crashed the whole email system for midtbof the day. As soon as it was fixed, he did it again 🤣🤣

When I was at Lloyds TSB back in the day, the staff used to fondly reminisce about the new guy who forced a CD into the wrong machine and melted said CD inside the machine, causing £10K of damage 20 years ago.

He kept his job!

I sent an email to the wrong "Chris" lots of Chris' in my dept including a line manager like me and a head of service. Obviously sent it to the head of service. They got back to me straight away as it was discussing complaints our teams had. Thankfully it was professional but I sent it long after work hours and there may or may not have been a glass of wine next to me! 😩
It was all fine in the end but it taught me a few lessons.
OP, It sounds like your manager is as understanding as mine 😂🤦🏿‍♀️😉

I took a group to the wrong airport (tour director rather than holiday rep, so we went all over Europe).

Blamed it on the company(well it was partially their fault, there was a process to ensure that this didn't happen and the process wasn't followed on this occasion) and the group believed me.

Failed to file something timeously at court, costing my client the opportunity to recover c. £10k in expenses.

My firm covered the cost to the client and were very gracious to me about it. They took the view that everyone makes mistakes sometimes and what matters is how you deal with them. I got credit for telling my manager as soon as I realised the mistake and for taking full responsibility. I haven’t made the same mistake since!

I know someone who sent an email to every employee in his multinational company saying "So are you coming out for a pint at lunchtime Brian you cunt?"

I farted loudly in the office. Pretended nothing happened

That is funny 🤣

A colleague paid out an insurance policy to the wrong person. Same name, different date of birth. She obviously didn't check.

It cost the company tens of thousands but she is still employed.

Oh my god - hahahahahha

Oh the sharing the wrong screen in a teams meeting atrocity!

Was presenting and forgot and switched screens to reference something but it showed messages of us discussing the client....mortifying....

I completely forgot about about an exam one time. They called me from uni with 20 minutes to get there. I was not the student. Luckily we both did well in the end!