Screwed Up at Work? How to Keep Your Job and Move Forward

What to do after making a mistake at work

Making a mistake in the workplace can feel like the end of the world. No matter how great you are, it happens to the best of us. It can even be an opportunity to grow and learn. 

That being said, it’s crucial to move on from your mistake with humility, grace and a willingness to make it right. For example, if your mistake impacted your employees, apologize, take responsibility for the issues it caused, and do whatever is necessary to move forward. Don’t dwell on your mistakes, but don’t deny them, either. Owning them is the best way to make it right.

“Whether you are an employee or own your own business, you’ve got to be able to handle and recover from making a blunder because we all do it,” said Sharon Schweitzer, an author and the founder of Protocol & Etiquette Worldwide, a company that advises corporate leaders in cross-cultural etiquette.

According to Schweitzer, the process for recovering from business mistakes is the same whether you’re the CEO or a new hire. Consider the following five steps to rebound from a career blunder with grace and tact. 

1. Minimize emotions.

Minimizing emotions is probably the biggest challenge for most people, particularly amid the workplace stress a career mistake can bring. 

When people make a mistake, especially at work, they are embarrassed and maybe even ashamed, plus they’re concerned for their professional credibility, Schweitzer noted. “You may even feel a little panic and uncertainty: ‘Where do I go? What do I do?'”

The key to minimizing emotions is to maintain perspective. Seldom does a mistake end a life or even a business. It’s essential to remember that. Schweitzer added that it can also help to remember that some of the most successful people have experienced colossal failures.

2. Accept responsibility.

The next crucial step when dealing with a career mishap is transparency. Here’s what’s involved with accepting responsibility: 

• Own up to your role in the error.
• Examine the error to see how you can fix it and prevent it from happening again.
• Ensure your leadership team, colleagues and employees see you’ve accepted responsibility for the issue.

Denying responsibility or throwing someone else under the bus is a bad look that will damage your credibility and trustworthiness. Instead, focus on demonstrating accountability and a commitment to learning from the mistake, which can ultimately strengthen your professional relationships and reputation.

3. Apologize for the error.

Next, of course, it’s time to craft the perfect work apology. Schweitzer suggests going to each person affected as soon as possible to explain the situation. Acknowledge your mistake and let them know you’re fixing the problem or have already mitigated it. If necessary, let them know what steps you’re taking to prevent the issue from happening in the future.

When you apologize, be concise and factual. “Don’t overdo the apology,” Schweitzer cautioned. “Just say, ‘I made a mistake, and this is how I’m fixing it.’ Sometimes, that sentence is all people need to hear.”

4. Repair or control damage resulting from the mistake.

After the apology, follow through on damage control. “You earn trust through your actions, not just your words,” Schweitzer noted.

Proving you’re willing to own up to your actions and put in the work to fix your mistakes can help rebuild and even improve your professional reputation and credibility.

5. Learn from the experience.

The last step is learning from your mistakes. If you have supportive colleagues, ask them for their take on what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening again. If your error uncovered a potential problem that could arise in the future, work to change procedures or implement safeguards.

How to get over making a mistake at work

After completing the primary steps for dealing with a business failure, you have one more critical task: Get over it. Of course, this is easier said than done, but moving on from your mistake is crucial so it doesn’t define you or drag you and the business down.

Here are some steps to take to get over your blunder and move on with positivity and a clear head: 

• Release tension in a healthy way. A work crisis — particularly one you caused — is extremely stressful. You’ll likely carry tension that can exacerbate the situation. “Don’t let the emotions build up like steam in a kettle,” Schweitzer advised. “Release them in a healthy way.” If you’re still at work, take a walk to release some tension and make it through the rest of the day. You can also meditate or practice calm breathing exercises at your desk to combat anxiety.
• Talk to someone about the situation. While you don’t want to dwell on the situation, it can be helpful to talk to someone about it. You may feel embarrassed, but you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised to find that everyone you work with or know has made career mistakes. If enough time has passed, most of them can probably laugh about it now, too.
• Get back to work. Once you’ve taken time to focus on your well-being, get back to work and establish your credibility. If you’re worried that your job is in jeopardy after a mistake, how you move forward in the aftermath of a crisis can significantly impact management’s decision. Try to come to the office the next day with a positive workplace attitude and be willing to put extra effort into your work.
• Move forward. Be meticulous in checking your work going forward. If you put together a plan with your boss to prevent similar mistakes in the future, demonstrate that you are putting that plan into action. Managers like to see that employees are resilient and adaptable, so use this as an opportunity to prove yourself.

Everybody makes mistakes

As the old saying — and popular Miley Cyrus song — goes, “Everybody makes mistakes.” Your career goal shouldn’t be to avoid all missteps, as this is impossible. Instead, focus on learning from your mistakes. In fact, we often gain valuable, in-demand career skills by messing up and recovering. The important part is bouncing back from our mistakes and continuing to move forward.

With the above tips and steps outlined above, you can lessen the impact of your mistakes, learn from them, and move forward with more wisdom and empathy. 

Sammi Caramela contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.