Erm… these are the top 10 most awkward work situations

Awkward work stories? Everyone’s got one.

But now British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) has polled 2,000 employed UK adults to find the most awkward of them all.

Top of the list was spilling something down your clothes moments before an important meeting (22%), followed by accidentally clicking reply all to a private email (20%). Making small talk at the tea point came in third (17%) followed by that tricky moment when your boss calls you the wrong name and you don’t know whether to correct them (17%).

The poll was part of the British Heart Foundation’s new Raise Funds Your Way campaign to get workplaces fundraising to fight heart disease.

Luke Mallet, head of community fundraising at the BHF, said: “We’ve all had to endure those uncomfortable everyday work moments where you just don’t know what to do or say in front of your colleagues. But fundraising at work is a fantastic way to build relationships with other employees and break down those barriers.

“So grab your colleagues and put those awkward moments to bed by raising funds your way to help us power more life-saving discoveries in the fight for every heartbeat.

“Every pound raised will play a crucial role in transforming the lives of the seven million people living with heart and circulatory disease.”

These are the top 10 most awkward work situations:

1) Spilling something down your clothes just before an important meeting – 22.35%

2) Accidentally clicking reply all to a private email – 19.85%

3) Making small talk at the tea point or queuing for the microwave – 17.35%

4) When your boss calls you the wrong name and you don’t know whether to correct them 16.90%

5) Bumping into a colleague in the toilets – do you say hello? – 16.70%

6) Bumping into a colleague on the way home and not knowing what to talk about – 15.15%

7) Being too embarrassed to ask someone’s name in a meeting – 11.80%

8) Breaking the printer and walking off without fixing it – 11.25%

9) When someone’s phone goes off in a meeting with an embarrassing ringtone – 11.10%

10) When your boss sits down with you in the canteen – 10.45%

 

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