Workplace

So you messed up big time at work. Now what? Here’s how to redeem yourself from three “on-the-job” blunders. Courtesy of The Office Survival Guide.

• Mistake #1: You’re dating a co-worker – and it’s against company policy. You don’t want the gossip mill get to your boss before you do. So arrange a meeting with your supervisor and ‘fess up. Also, assure your boss that the two of you won’t let the relationship get in the way of work, and that you’ll treat each other professionally while you’re on the clock. Your boss may decide to get HR involved – some companies make employees sign “love contracts” if they start dating – but chances are, your word will be good enough.
• Work mistake #2: You sent an embarrassing e-mail to the entire company. Don’t do anything. Following up with a second “Oh wow I didn’t mean to do that” e-mail just draws attention to the inappropriateness of the first one. And remember this for next time: if you wouldn’t want your e-mail to be displayed on a billboard in Times Square, don’t send it!
• And one final work mistake: You upstaged your boss. So the regional manager is in town and your boss is telling them about their great new plan to re-vamp the sales department. But then YOU bust in and start listing all of YOUR great ideas. Now the tension is running high because your boss feels like you tried to one-up them. What should you do? Tell your boss that your nerves got the best of you and you shouldn’t have barged in on the conversation. Then reaffirm how much you like working for them and how you still have a lot to learn – as shown by your rude barge-in.