Think you’ve had an embarrassing moment in the office? Think again. Here are 12 embarrassing workplace behaviors you might not want to experience.
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If I was to ask, I'm sure we all have a cringy story about past embarrassing workplace behaviors. Sadly, we are not always in control and some embarrassing and uncomfortable things tend to happen even in the workplace. The truth is that most of us don’t even notice that our behaviors are annoying, embarrassing, and cringy. So, I'll make it easy for you.
Here are 12 embarrassing workplace behaviors that make people feel uncomfortable and cringy.
1. Incorrect meeting schedule
Imagine scheduling a meeting incorrectly and everyone shows up on the wrong day. Not only is this embarrassing workplace behavior but career suicide, especially if your job revolves around scheduling things.
2. Sending a message or email to the wrong recipient
If this hasn’t happened to you, then this is the time to thank your lucky stars. You might want to start double-checking the recipients of a text or email before you press send. Also, imagine how embarrassing it will be if you send an email or text bad-mouthing someone else to that individual.
3. Sending an inappropriate picture to your boss or the office group chat
I would never wish this embarrassing workplace behavior on anyone, even my worst enemy. You can make a comeback from this embarrassment. However, you will have to make peace with the fact that it will be a topic of discussion in private conversations.
4. Washroom malfunctions
Never assume that you are alone in the workplace washroom. The washroom is not a place you’d want to comfortably make a personal call or badmouth your co-workers on the phone. Another embarrassing workplace behavior that I think would definitely send me home packing is blocking the office toilet. It’s even worse if the toilet water starts overflowing after flushing the blocked toilet.
5. Breaking the coffee machine and it starts spraying coffee all over, non-stop
I’m pretty sure that I'd never recover from this. Your colleagues will certainly always remind you of this embarrassing workplace behavior during break and lunchtime. Additionally, they may never let you get close to the coffee machine unsupervised.
6. Mistaken identity
Embarrassing workplace behavior in this category is forgiving but still as cringy as the rest. It ranges from using the wrong name and title when referring to someone to not remembering a colleague's name. And the winner of this challenge is *drum rolls please* giving an office recognition award to the wrong person.
7. Falling asleep during a meeting
I have to admit that this has happened to me before. There is nothing as embarrassing as having your boss stop a meeting to wake you up. Just make sure that you have a good reason for slipping up and don’t repeat it.
8. Wardrobe malfunctions
This is probably the most common embarrassing workplace behavior. Everyone has one of those days. It could be standing in front of your colleagues with your zipper down or spilling food on yourself while having lunch with an important client. Some people go as far as wearing mismatched socks or shoes to an important meeting or ripping their pants. The moral of the story is - always be conscious of your appearance especially when it involves a serious client.
9. Sneezing while eating with your co-workers
Not only is this embarrassing workplace behavior but very disgusting and unsanitary. Imagine yourself trying to hold in a sneeze as you have lunch with your workmates, and you fail miserably by sending chewed food flying across the room. This would definitely make your workmates lose their appetite.
10. Absent-mindedly eating your co-worker’s lunch
This seems unlikely but it can happen and has happened to some of us. Eating a co-worker's lunch is unlikely unless you are very absent-minded or just plain inconsiderate.
11. Congratulating a co-worker who you assume to be pregnant
You’d never think this type of embarrassing workplace behavior would happen to you until it does. Your co-worker’s reaction will be enough to make you want to run away and hide under a rock for the rest of your life.
12. Dry jokes
You’d think that the eye rolls and negative remarks would be the cringy part of this embarrassing workplace behavior. But, no! It’s the fact that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE thought that your joke was funny. I’m pretty sure that the heatwave that will flow through your body will be enough to fry an egg.
Conclusion
Your first thought after exhibiting embarrassing workplace behavior is probably to run and hide. However, please don’t do this. Try to stay calm and professional. You are still at work and you don’t want to give everyone a bad impression. The key is to stay professional and remember that it is normal and will just be a funny memory after some time.
Also, loosen up and don’t take it too seriously. Embarrassing workplace behavior is inevitable, just own up and laugh along.
