BHF says holding workplace fundraising events can break down barriers
A charity poll has revealed the top cringeworthy workplace moments which all third sector workers dread.
It lists those socially awkward moments which are a painful but unavoidable fact of office life.
British Heart Foundation (BHF) said it polled third sector staff across the UK to ask them what their own most dreaded David Brent moments are.
Top of the list was accidentally clicking reply all to a private email (42%) followed by spilling something down your clothes moments before an important meeting (29%).
Bumping into a colleague in the toilets was third (26%) followed by making small talk at the tea point (19%).
Some of these awkward encounters might be explained by the fact that almost six in ten (57%) of third sector workers confessed they don’t know the names of some of their colleagues even though they work in the same office, while 39% were guilty of not knowing what many of their fellow employees actually do.
Some staff even go to extraordinary lengths to avoid uneasy situations by taking a different lift, eating lunch at their desk or taking an entirely different route home from work.
Awkward squad: third sector workers' top ten cringeworthy moments
1) Accidentally clicking reply all to a private email - 42%
2) Spilling something down your clothes just before an important meeting - 29%
3) Bumping into a colleague in the toilets - do you say hello? - 26%
4) Making small talk at the tea point or queuing for the microwave - 19%
5) Being too embarrassed to ask someone's name in a meeting - 19%
6) Breaking the printer and walking off without fixing it - 15%
7) When your boss calls you the wrong name and you don't know how to correct them - 13%
8) Bumping into a colleague on the way home and not knowing what to talk about - 11%
9) When someone's phone goes off in a meeting with an embarrassing ringtone - 10%
10) Being the first person to dig into the team snacks - 10%
BHF said it carried out the poll to encourage workplaces to get fundraising to fight heart disease.
It wants workers in the voluntary sector to avoid these socially awkward situations and get to know their colleagues better by holding a fundraising event and raising funds your way for life saving research.
Over a third (34%) of third sector workers said fundraising in the workplace was a great way to break down barriers and get to know colleagues, while 35% said it helps boost staff morale.
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 7 million people living with heart and circulatory disease.”
Each year heart and circulatory disease kills around 155,000 people, an average of one person every three minutes.
The BHF urgently needs more people to organise their own fundraising events to help fund research that will change the lives of those living with these devastating conditions.
For more information and to get a free fundraising pack visit here.
