Owning a mistake in work, worst than can happen?

[The OG Jester]

I think I may be over thinking this one but I made a mistake about a particular electrical set up and only realised this last week when I had to go back to the client and inform them.

Straight off the bat, this is in no way a H&S breach but will inconvenience our client, and there client a bit as they no have to do a bit more work with their meter supplier to rectify the situatuon.

I held my hands up straight away and owned the mistake with the client, I have also put this in writing to my director saying it was a complete error on my part having discussed three different options and consulted our main electrical standards guys - but I've misread his email and before I proof checked it, I send the solution to our client.

The client is making quite a bit fuss of this as I thought they would and that is not helping.

What realistically is the worse that can happen? This is my second spell with this company but I'm only 1.5 years in to my second spell. It's a genuine mistake, I admit that but could this be noted as a verbal or written warning because I've upset the client?

In general my performance is above what is expected of me, I generally work on a little more than is expected and my KPI's are all bob-on. No sick days either....... I just feel like I've made such a basic error in a senior position and with a difficult client that someone will want a harsh punishment.

[Muzzer79]

In my opinion

You can't get a verbal or written warning for 'upsetting the client'
At least not directly.

It's also not realistic to punish you for one mistake. We are all human, humans make mistakes from time to time.

If you were consistently cocking things up, that's a performance issue that can be dealt with, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

What happens next rather depends on your company culture, relationship with your boss and escalation from the client.

I would hope that your boss would stand up for you as a member of his team, vouch for your usual good work and assure the client this won't happen again. You would then be on the receiving end of a bking, but nothing official.

However, the client may want blood. Your boss may be weak. His boss may be weak. These are all unknown factors that I cannot advise on.

Your short service exposes you to being moved on, but unless the company are complete tools (and who would want to work for them if they are) then I'd be surprised if you were disciplined or anything official from what you've said.

IANAL.
IANAEL.
I don't know what you do exactly for a living and how important it is, so the above may be non-applicable.

[GliderRider]

If there is that much at stake, your company should have been getting a second set of knowledgable eyes to check over your and everyone else's work before the company exposed itself to significant risk. Human error is made by humans, hence the reason, for example, in aviation and medicine a second person checks work before acceptance.

[Castrol for a knave]

Mistakes happen, it is part of human nature. As Glider Rider says, it is often why we need a second set of eyes- a review process since we can all miss something or fail to spot due to confirmation bias or whatever.

I think owning your mistake is a positive step. The next is how that mistake is dealt with. If the company and yourself deal with it quickly and put the client in the place he wants to be, at no cost to him, then fine.

Thereafter, it is a learning point for you and the firm as to how it happened. Things happen for numerous reasons, and often a number of factors mounting up rather than a single dropped ball.

A firm that throws someone under the bus or overly disciplines them, without ever stopping to take it as an internal learning point, is doomed to make the same mistake.

In my work, we use similar systems to aviation with CRM - we aim to eliminate risk, but where something happens, we try to deconstruct it and work out why, try to mitigate it for the future and not just roast the poor bd that happened to be holding the parcel when the music stopped.

[Jasandjules]

They can do almost anything they want. Wait and see if anything comes of it, then come back for information/advice because until you know what approach they are taking, there are many variables.

[dudleybloke]

I would much rather someone own up to a mistake so we can put it right, rather than try and hide it or avoid responsibility.

"If you've never made a mistake, you've never made anything."

[105.4]

IMO, always own up to your mistakes. Or even better, (as you have done), own up to them, show remorse and provide solutions before someone else discovers them, (as you have correctly done).

There’s only been one occasion when I minor mistake has got me the sack, the rest of the time they’ve always got me a bking or at worst a verbal warning.

Personally, I’d be supportive of a staff member who held his hands up and took responsibility.

[stumpage]

I always say to my staff. Own up as soon as possible and in as much detail as possible. If you have an idea on a resolution bring it to the table and we'll work it through, if not the rest of the team will have your back and help sort it. But learn from it, take note and try not to do it again.

No good comes from hiding things and a decent boss will encourage the above as it will make their life easier as they know what they are dealing with and can respond quickly.

[anonymous-user]

As employer if somebody makes a mistake you want them to be able to come to you so the situation can be properly managed.

If you get punished for realising your mistake, admitting and working proactively to fix it, then your employer is setting a terrible example to the rest of their employees.

[The OG Jester]

Well, worried about that far too much. However the client is still making a song and dance about it, I came fully clean and provided all the evidence to my director who was pretty accommodating.

Human error.

And the client, a pain in the arse but there are other things at play here and I was an excuse to rubbish the whole company. Lesson learned.

[Rushjob]

Bluequay said:

As employer if somebody makes a mistake you want them to be able to come to you so the situation can be properly managed.

If you get punished for realising your mistake, admitting and working proactively to fix it, then your employer is setting a terrible example to the rest of their employees.

This

Any decent employer will discuss go down the what? so what? now what? route in order to understand what went wrong, how it gets fixed and to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Only a buffoon would chuck their toys out of the pram and then expect staff to admit to errors in the future.

[Giantt]

Sounds like your a conscientious worker,you've done the right thing,worst thing they can do? 'Punish' you,then you tell them.its just a job n can stuff it and they end up with someone less conscious,don't worry about it

[Tom8]

I think what you have done is absolutely correct and you can't be disciplined for making an error, especially when you spot the error and own up to it. I look after properties and have suppliers come to me admitting to errors and whilst disappointing I am glad they have the integrity to admit it. I would never berate someone for doing so, company or individual. If your client is a tt that is their issue not yours. Hopefully your employer will support you.

[98elise]

dudleybloke said:

I would much rather someone own up to a mistake so we can put it right, rather than try and hide it or avoid responsibility.

"If you've never made a mistake, you've never made anything."

This.

[Collectingbrass]

The OG Jester said:

Well, worried about that far too much. However the client is still making a song and dance about it, I came fully clean and provided all the evidence to my director who was pretty accommodating.

Human error.

And the client, a pain in the arse but there are other things at play here and I was an excuse to rubbish the whole company. Lesson learned.

Worth bearing in mind that the client is (or should) be making a song and dance about the service your company provided, not you as an individual.

As others have said, there should perhaps have been a second set of eyes from your firm if it was that critical, and if it's commercial work the client should have had a competent person check the handover as well, so I wonder if they are kicking off now quite so much because they know they didn't do their own checks? They're also probably trying for a rebate or discount, which your director may give them if they are an important client but I will bet dollars to donuts they pay for it on the next ten jobs your firm does for them.

[Frimley111R]

Reminded me of working in British Gas in the late 90s. A guy was in charge of a new LPG storage facility. It cost millions and when we had completed it the local council pointed out that it was near to a school and so could only hold about 25% of its intended capacity. How the fk he didn't lose his job is beyond me! I can only assume those higher up didn't want those who were even higher up to know and so just kept a lid on it until they all changed jobs.

[orbit123]

As someone else says, if it's completely critical (commercial or otherwise) and had to be right then it should never have been on 1 person to implement and check it etc. Everyone makes mistakes.

As an employer I'd commend your attitude towards this situation. TBH if it was ok with all involved I'd use it as an example of what to do in such a situation and widely praise it.
Given everyone does make mistakes I'd now know I can trust you to own yours.

Earlier in life I learned the downside of not providing a totally safe space to say "I've made a blunder here". It made for a poor work environment and much larger mistakes as things were swept under carpet.

It sounds like you're doing a good job otherwise too and this is not a common thing. A lot comes down to values and if your employer can see the benefit in your actions.

Your attitude sounds like it will see you right regardless though!