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Original poster

Huge fuck up today

131 replies

HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:28

And I’m still on probation. 😭 In my job you have to be signed off by supervisors in different areas before you are allowed to do it alone. Today I completed a task that I have not been signed off on (and completely screwed it up) by mistake. I’ve been signed off to produce designs in area A. I had a request come through for A but with a tiny bit of C. I didn’t realise that C meant it needed to be put through as a new task type. To make it worse one of my fundamental calculations was ever so slightly out so the whole thing is wrong. I have to confess all of this to my boss tomorrow morning. Help!

OP posts:
Original poster
HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:28

I really think they might sack me. 😭

OP posts:
aspirationalflamingo · 11/09/2023 18:30

Why would they sack you for that? Has somebody died or been injured? Have you bankrupted anyone?

Privatelyliving · 11/09/2023 18:32

What are the implications of it being wrong?

It's their responsibility to make sure you knew about the way the little bit of C affected it.

Own, up apologise, take responsibility, explain how it happened, what needs to be put in place to stop it happening again and if possible what can be done to put it right.

IME no one's ever sacked for one mistake.

OnAFrolicOfMyOwn · 11/09/2023 18:33

When you tell your boss, include the steps you'll take to make sure you don't make the error again.

You don't say what the consequence of your errors were 'in the real world' but it would be harsh to sack for one mistake.

MathsIsFab · 11/09/2023 18:33

Surely they can’t just sack you for this, people make mistakes even on probation!

are they renowned for getting rid of people?

can you discuss with your immediate boss tomorrow morning? I’m sure they ll be fine once you own up to it and put a plan in place to reassure them it won’t happen again !

Lavender14 · 11/09/2023 18:36

Best thing you can learn in the workplace is how to take mistakes on the chin without letting them send you into a total spiral. I would start doing damage control. Do you have the means to fix some of any of what's gone wrong. Do you know what happened that led to it going wrong. I'd go to your boss in the morning first thing, say you have identified that you've made a mistake, be honest about what it is, give them any suggestions you have for how you could/have fix(ed) it, and identify what you've learned from it and what you'd do differently in future to prevent making the same mistake twice. Apologise and assure them it won't happen again and be available to help with resolving it if you can. Another option might be talking to a colleague you trust who's more experienced and see if they can help you fix it. But honesty is the best policy. Everyone makes mistakes, even people who've been doing their job for a long time. If your boss doesn't expect you to make mistakes while you're training then they're unrealistic. Take it on the chin and remember that we learn way more and improve our practice way more from the mistakes we make, than from what we get right first time.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/09/2023 18:37

Nah they won't sack you. But why did you do the work when you know you weren't signed off to?

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/09/2023 18:38

And I wouldn't wait for them to ask you. You need to come clean asap.
I think it'll be ok

Original poster
HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:45

Real world implications - incorrect calculations where sent to a client which could have had an impact on their business decisions. A colleague discovered the error when reviewing something else. I contacted the client to apologise straight away and gave them the correct information. Aware it looks bad/ unprofessional though and it is quite a big client.
I really need this job and it’s a big step up in terms of money and responsibility. I constantly feel anxious that I’m about to get “caught out” as not good enough and let go.
I plan on phoning my boss first thing tomorrow. I tried calling earlier but he had gone home already.
I think my main worry is it’s quite a fundamental thing that I should have known that I got wrong in the calculation. It’s to do with the level of tax a business would pay if X happened and I absolutely should know it. I do know it. I just used the wrong rate in a moment of madness.

OP posts:
Birdie8989 · 11/09/2023 18:46

Just wanted to say you are not alone. I've found a major f*ck up of mine today too. I'm out of probation, but it was a piece of work I put together while I was still on probation. I need to confess all to my boss in the morning too, and explain to those effected. I've been on the rescue remedy this afternoon, my anxiety is in overload. I don't think I'll be sacked - I completed it in good faith and had the work checked by others who didn't pick up on it either. I just know it will be a mark against my name and I had been doing really well 😭 I hope you have an understanding boss OP. It will be ok I'm sure. Feel free to PM to offload tomorrow if you want someone who understands how you feel. We've all been there one time or another

Original poster
HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:48

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 11/09/2023 18:38

And I wouldn't wait for them to ask you. You need to come clean asap.
I think it'll be ok

Because the work was 90% A. I assumed I was signed off and could complete the task. It’s stupid because obviously C is a new thing and so a new sign off. It was also in C where I made the mistake. The peer review process would have picked up the mistake (had I submitted it for review). This is why I’m so worried. Really it’s 2 huge errors:

  1. Completing C without peer review.
  2. C being done incorrectly.
OP posts:
itsgettingweird · 11/09/2023 18:48

It's been picked up. Client informed of the mistake.

No negative outcome.

They'd be daft to get rid of you even if in probation because the next person will have to be trained from scratch and could also make the same mistakes .

Own you , say you've seen where you went wrong and what steps you're taking hot to make it again.

Original poster
HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:49

I copied the wrong response into the above answer. I’m flustered. Sorry.

OP posts:
MathsIsFab · 11/09/2023 18:51

HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:45

Real world implications - incorrect calculations where sent to a client which could have had an impact on their business decisions. A colleague discovered the error when reviewing something else. I contacted the client to apologise straight away and gave them the correct information. Aware it looks bad/ unprofessional though and it is quite a big client.
I really need this job and it’s a big step up in terms of money and responsibility. I constantly feel anxious that I’m about to get “caught out” as not good enough and let go.
I plan on phoning my boss first thing tomorrow. I tried calling earlier but he had gone home already.
I think my main worry is it’s quite a fundamental thing that I should have known that I got wrong in the calculation. It’s to do with the level of tax a business would pay if X happened and I absolutely should know it. I do know it. I just used the wrong rate in a moment of madness.

happens all the time

people learn from mistakes, they don’t learn by being perfect all the time

relax tonight and be ready for tomorrow’s chat with boss x

Original poster
HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 18:53

I also think some of my panic is that our work is graded and I know this will now be marked as “Unsuitable”. It feels like getting an F in a school report.

OP posts:
Megifer · 11/09/2023 19:02

Oh op I feel for you. Hopefully it will be ok but, and I honestly don't want to make you feel shitter, realistically no one can say for certain you won't get sacked.

I know its easy to say, but if they did sack you then they might be the sort of company you wouldn't want to work for anyway if they can be that mercenary.

Your plan sounds good - own it, tell them you immediately put it right, and you have learned xyz from this.

Most of all remember that how you're feeling right now is only temporary and will pass.

Good luck, I hope its all OK for you.

Original poster
HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 19:08

I know @Megifer, thank you for being so nice about it. My DH is trying to get me to contact my old job and ask if they would have me back just in case.

OP posts:
aspirationalflamingo · 11/09/2023 19:12

HugeFuckUp · 11/09/2023 19:08

I know @Megifer, thank you for being so nice about it. My DH is trying to get me to contact my old job and ask if they would have me back just in case.

I think if it comes to that it can wait 24 hours. If you contact them now in a blind panic and then it's all fine, you risk damaging credibility / relationships if you ever do want to go back or work with them in future.

I think you just need to focus on managing your panic tonight and then deal calmly and practically with the situation tomorrow.

SoftPillowAllNight · 11/09/2023 19:15

Detach from the problem. Talk about it like a business problem.

Go to the boss with a solution. State the problem, admit your mistake, state the solution(s). Then say what solutions have you already executed and what you need him/her to do now.

Don't be a martyr and sacrifice yourself over this. Mistakes happen. Think like a man. No man has ever given up a job due to a mistake and wouldn't even dream of going back to a previous job because of it.

Build resilience not running-away techniques.

Bonniethewestie · 11/09/2023 19:15

Don’t panic OP, these things happen all the time at work. That’s why they’ve got these guidances in place anyway over not doing things until trained etc. It happens, everyone has made a mistake at some points in their career - especially early on.

It would be very unfair of them to sack you for that. Probably once you speak to them it won’t be nearly as bad as you think. The key is the client part and you’ve already spoken to them and apologised.

SoftPillowAllNight · 11/09/2023 19:17

Sorry if I'm sounding tough but you've not made an error in a surgery that has cost a life. Don't cayastrophize. If you keep calm so will your boss. Show you have the situation under control and you are just keeping them informed.

diditbark · 11/09/2023 19:19

Hmm. We've had this happen recently.

It resulted in a SNC (serious non-conformance for the staff member) and their probation was doubled, but they weren't sacked.

What are the financial consequences? Can it be rectified? I think it depends on the impact.

lapsedbookworm · 11/09/2023 19:20

Lavender14 · 11/09/2023 18:36

Best thing you can learn in the workplace is how to take mistakes on the chin without letting them send you into a total spiral. I would start doing damage control. Do you have the means to fix some of any of what's gone wrong. Do you know what happened that led to it going wrong. I'd go to your boss in the morning first thing, say you have identified that you've made a mistake, be honest about what it is, give them any suggestions you have for how you could/have fix(ed) it, and identify what you've learned from it and what you'd do differently in future to prevent making the same mistake twice. Apologise and assure them it won't happen again and be available to help with resolving it if you can. Another option might be talking to a colleague you trust who's more experienced and see if they can help you fix it. But honesty is the best policy. Everyone makes mistakes, even people who've been doing their job for a long time. If your boss doesn't expect you to make mistakes while you're training then they're unrealistic. Take it on the chin and remember that we learn way more and improve our practice way more from the mistakes we make, than from what we get right first time.

This is excellent advice. Once I realised this I started to enjoy work and to progress rapidly. Before then I was crippled by anxiety

SnowflakeCity · 11/09/2023 19:22

Dh once made a fuck up when he was on probation which meant that the boss had to go all the way to Canada to fix it. He still passed probation.

Oblomov23 · 11/09/2023 19:24

It will be ok. Tell manager first thing, they'll sort.