16 Humiliating Experiences at Work That Gave Everyone a Good Laugh in Hindsight
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A significant portion of our daily lives transpires within the parameters of our workplaces, creating an environment ripe for those unforgettable yet cringe-inducing moments that frequently take us by surprise. Unlike minor mishaps and awkward incidents at home, which are usually met with understanding and forgiveness, their professional counterparts often leave us feeling particularly self-conscious and uncomfortable.
Do you have an embarrassing office gaffe that still turns your face red when you remember? Some online users shared theirs after someone asked, “What’s your most embarrassing work story?”
1. Thinking your boss is your Mom
Mom is always on speed dial in our brains for many of us, even when we’re at work. One online user shared, “It’s morning. I’m a little tired, but halfway through my first cup of coffee. I walk to my boss’s desk to ask her about a project.” Instead of calling her Pam, she called her Mom!
If it makes you feel any better, a user added, “I think we have all accidentally called people mom at some point.”
2. When you’re the uninvited guest
Have you ever had an ‘earth open up and swallow me’ office moment? One user said, “I walked into a meeting I wasn’t supposed to be part of. There was an awkward silence as I sat down, and one of the managers kindly told me to leave as everyone else stared.”
3. When the private voicemail goes public
We’ve probably heard of voicemails accidentally sent to all. One user shared their not-so-romantic moment, “I once left my then girlfriend (now wife) a very sappy and romantic voicemail and proceeded to send it out to everyone on a company phone list. No one immediately told me what I had done, and I had to piece it together on my own slowly.”
4. Breaking wind in public
It may be natural, but passing gas in public is still one of the most embarrassing things every day- if you get caught. One online user shared their smelly experience, “I was at a meeting when suddenly the room went silent, and although I was trying my best to hold it in, my a** decided to let out a rather audible fart.”
5. Handing the hairbrush to the bald guy
Imagine accidentally body-shaming your colleague. Another online user shared their experience, “I found a hair dryer and, without thinking or looking up, jokingly asked if maybe a hair dryer would be useful to him instead. He was bald.”
6. Ripping your pants in the office
Isn’t this the one thing we all dread? Well, one online user narrated living this nightmare, “… one bright, beautiful morning, I squatted down to reach for the handle of the gurney and rip! The ENTIRE back of my pants split as I stood up. Completely.”
That’s your cue to spend a few more dollars to get quality work wear.
7. When you accidentally spread the love
Most online users admitted that their most embarrassing moments at work involved signing off conversations with “I love you.” Adding to the list, one user said, “I Told a customer “By Mom, I love you.” as she was leaving the store.”
8. When a customer’s hidden stash falls accidentally
We don’t want to meddle in anybody’s secret affairs, but imagine the discomfort when a stash of weed falls when you’re helping a customer. Well, for one online user, the customer offered the weed as a tip after the initial awkwardness.
9. Almost choking in the office
There’s no perfect venue to choke, but the office is not ideal. For one user, this was a nightmare come true. They say, “I also once choked on an appetizer in front of the CEO, and everyone in the company and an intern had to give me the Heimlich.”
10. Dealing with the annoying spillage
Spilling liquids on yourself is bad enough, but then you must explain to everyone you meet why it looks like you went a number two on your pants.
After spilling tequila on themselves, one online user shares, “I had to explain to each and every customer I had that night why I reeked of booze. I suspect maybe half of them believed me.”
11. Mixing up words and ending up with embarrassing sentences
English is a strange language; you mix up the words and end up with a completely different meaning. After a night of drinking, a worker at a clothes store asked a customer, “Would you like my hangover with that?” He meant a hanger.
12. Falling off your chair in public
If you haven’t fallen off your chair in the office, count yourself among the very lucky few. One online user shares their experience after bending to pick something up, “Suddenly, I fall forward, sprawling on the floor. The other guy there said, “Oh my gosh, are you okay?”
Another user encourages them by saying, “I think that’s not unusual – da** chairs have a mind of their own sometimes.”
13. Bathroom oops moments
They may have fewer witnesses, but workplace bathroom blunders aren’t any less hilarious. An online platform user said, “I have also walked in on someone going to the bathroom because they didn’t lock the door.”
14. When we can’t stand the clown
People take off days for many reasons but imagine taking one because you have coulrophobia. One online user shared, “I had to tell my boss I needed to take off a certain day because they were having a clown come in.”
15. When texting home and working goes awry
Taking two calls in succession can leave you mixed up. One user ended up telling a client, “Thank you for calling. Kiss kiss!” He was also texting his girlfriend.
16. Laughable Word Mix Up
Someone writes what happened to them: “Trying to explain to my boss that I was trying to work on a customer problem, my brain thought of two ways to say something:
- I’m waist-deep in the problem
- I’m up to my ba**s with the problem
Brain had crossed wires. It came out “I’m ba**s deep in the customer.” Oops!
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