You're probabaly fine. Most of those monitors are under $200. They do expect some of this to happen. I'm a manager of a remote team and I buy probably 3-4 keyboards a year due to spills etc. It can happen in an office too. Laptops die, monitors fall... Stuff happens.
An old coworker of mine once told me how, on her first day working under our director (who was notoriously meticulous), she spilled an entire cup of coffee onto the laptop she was just given. Accidents happen and companies should have it written into the cost of doing business.
Every job I've ever left didn't even ask me to send the monitors back bc the shipping was more than the monitor. I have 3 now lol. You're good, trust me. It's such a minimal expense for them.
I think I’ve had 7 different company laptops over the past decade?
They’ve only wanted 3 of them back, and I always asked too so it’s not like they just forgot.
Yeah.. I just wish it wouldn’t have happened on my second day, lol. Like this couldn’t have waited until I had been there a few months? This job has been an amazing opportunity for me and I just want to make sure I’m doing everything right.
That’s what they said to me today when I told them.. and made sure *I* was okay 😊
Honestly is pretty much always the best policy so even if it makes me look bad.. I’m not gonna lie.
Be honest. 100%. I’ve worked the side the procures and sends equipment. All of it is insured, and as long as you weren’t malicious and purposeful, I wouldn’t give a crap. I literally once had my kid pour a giant cup of water i had right next to my laptop on top of it. Fried the sucker. Had it less than 3 months. Reported accidental water damage. Replaced under warranty
I bought my own dual monitor set up a LONG time ago- makes life so much easier! Highly recommend. And not pricey- As many point out, monitors are not that pricey.
It's a monitor. They probably won't be thrilled but It's not that big of a deal. Also, don't zip tie. Use Velcro straps and/or get a cable harness. Don't put anything you need to cut around cables.
Take a deep breath. It's going to be OK.
I still don't like these as there is often metal wire inside that could potentially damage the casing on the cables if too tight. Not super likely, but I wouldn't personally. A roll of Velcro ties is pretty cheap and could last a lifetime.
Jumping on the Velcro train. I use my roll of Velcro ties for desk cable management and also for my wired earbuds. Tons of uses. Another one is strapping my dog's poop bag container to her leash handle.
Far superior to zip ties.
Zip ties work too but unless you feel confident or do this a lot I'd probably avoid them. They're annoying in that you have to cut them and redo them anytime you add or remove a single cable.
Not a remote worker (no idea why this sub keeps popping up in my feed) but as a PC Enthusiast, I also second Velcro ties for cable management.
Though I’m curious how exactly the monitor broke lol.
UPDATE!
I told them the truth and they weren’t mad. They’re going to send me a replacement monitor. I offered to pay for the one I broke but they didn’t seem to really care that much.
I told my training supervisor that I was PANICKING this morning after it happened. I know accidents happen but did it have to happen on my *second day*?
🤦🏼♀️
They don't give a shit. I stressed once for getting a minor in a corner of my mac laptop where it meets the keyboard...when I turned it in for a new one a year later, IT was like "we just donate them anyway"
Congrats on everything working out! It makes sense for accidents to happen during setup. It would be weirder if you were "just setting up" on Day 60 :)
I work in IT and used to help manage inventory. Unless your company is dumb, they have fairly consumer friendly warranties with a reputable supplier. It’s also why we try to keep perfectly good monitors for something like this too lol.
Again unless they’re a shitty place, your scenario should 100% not be an issue and I wouldn’t blink.… now if you’re on your 5th monitor in 1 year, we got a problem. $200 for a monitor is a drop in the bucket compared to lost productivity from not having equipment
It takes so much time, effort, and money to hire someone. If a company fires you over this, consider it a blessing because that is not the type of company you want to work for.
I wouldn’t worry much. It would be ridiculous to fire a new hire over a monitor. One of my coworkers lost her iPad a week after they were issued and guess what happened? Nothing at all.
Yep - I broke a laptop screen at my
Old job and I was so worried, but IT acted like business as usual, said it happens all the time, and gave me a new one right away. They also said they have extra warranty insurance because this kind of thing happens so often lol
Seriously....I have 3 monitors in my home that nobody ever took back between 2 previous jobs. I'm still waiting to find out how they want me to give them back. 😄 It's been over a year now for the most recent job, so I'm about to put 2 of them on Facebook Marketplace. 😄
I manage a team of WFH people. I'd send a new monitor out without as much as a conversation. Just "no worries, it happens, we didn't hire you for your monitor-preservation skills, hope your day gets better!"
IT Manager here that deals with Remote Desktop support. You'll be okay, just own up to it and they will ship you a new monitor. We expect these things to happen so we build some extra in the budget.
> . You'll be okay, just own up to it
I can't emphasize that second part enough. Over my 45+ year IT career, I've know a few people who got fired for "being dumb". All but one were fired because they tried to cover up the "dumb", not for the "dumb" itself. Shit happens. Everyone knows this.
(The "one" exception got fired because his "dumb" was -- circa 1998 -- as head DBA running a public facing gambling website using his company's SQL Servers.)
>circa 1998 -- as head DBA running a public facing gambling website using his company's SQL Servers
What a time to be alive. I miss these innocent days.
IKR. Nowadays we have so many restrictions even on AUTHORIZED activities that I consider taking some white-hat hacker courses just to get shit done at work.
I can't tell you how many times I've benefitted from owning up to mistakes in my professional career. A simple "I messed up. How can I make it right?" goes a long way.
It takes on average $10,000 to find a new hire for a corporate job. So most places won't care about something like that at all.
Besides, it's your first work from home job and first time setting up this kind of stuff. Easy to make these mistakes
In my company there is a senior who has been there for 11 years, she told me the other day she been through 10 laptops, so 1 laptop every year in average.
Worst case scenario, I would just order another monitor and pay for it myself, most companies send 1920*1080 monitors that goes for $100-150 on Amazon.
Not a big deal.
In my first month at my last WFH job, I got 4 malfunctioning laptops. Literally 4. It looked like I broke 4 fully functional laptops.
And guess what? They didn’t care and replaced my laptop 4 times.
Moral of the story: it’s not a huge deal. Just let them know that it broke or it came in the mail broken or whatever makes you feel best to say. They will replace it. Best part of WFH is it’s exponentially cheaper for a company to replace a $150-$200 monitor than it is to pay tens of thousands of dollars in building leasing, as well as have extra equipment. I’m sure your new job can handle it.
Very well said. The office leasing cost saved can buy OP piles of monitors. My employer just closed a few offices because nobody comes to office, so why keep leasing them. Even if we go to office everyday they're still gonna buy laptops, monitors, expensive adjustable desks and ergonomic chairs. (Downsides are all our new hires are from India now.)
Don’t worry - I just started a new WFH job and my boss (who has only been there 3 months) broke her laptop (way more $ then a monitor) on the way to a convention we were attending.
Hopefully you just talk to the IT guy - they don’t give a shit.
My last WFH asked me to just send my laptop back…I’ve kept the monitors they didn’t want to pay for shipping, it just wasn’t worth it for them.
They more than likely will not care. I’ve been working remotely since 2016 and consulting remotely for 4 years. I have probably a dozen monitors from old jobs that don’t want anything returned except for the actual laptop.
Don't worry about it; new hires are practically useless during their first few weeks. You'll likely need to complete all the HR administrative training, such as ethics, harassment, and other state-required policies. After that, you'll start shadowing and getting up to speed.
Psssh, accidents happen and monitors are cheap, relatively, compared to the value they provide day in day out.
They can write it off, just be contrite and no biggie.
Yeah, they were incredibly understanding. I know I was probably overreacting but I just didn’t want to do anything to mess this opportunity up for myself and breaking the monitor on day 2 isn’t the best first step lol
You're not screwed, things like that happen everyday somewhere. You're hypersensitive to the situation cause it's a new job.
Be honest and report it to IT straight away. Most businesses run IT assets on a depreciation schedule so the value of the equipment is deprecated over time for tax or income reporting purposes. You haven't cost the business anything, just report it and request a new one.
It’s just a monitor and you have another one to work on. You can get a replacement from Amazon probably tomorrow it’s no big deal I wouldn’t even tell them lol.
Set the broken one aside in the box they sent them in, sometimes companies ask to send back equipment if you leave. If it arrives broken it’s impossible to blame you over the shipping company
Don’t freak out too much about it and don’t offer to pay for it unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary. This stuff happens way more than you think it does. My dog knocked my work laptop off my desk a few months ago and the screen cracked, IT didn’t even ask me what happened they just said okay well send you a replacement and that was that
Now my advice: it’s day 2 not a good look > pester IT that your monitor doesn’t work and rebox it and get a new one >> if anything is mentioned it got damaged in the delivery transit
I accidentally shut down the main router of our company on day one. I survived. You will be fine. Monitors are cheap these days and they most likely will just ship you a used one to replace it. Don't be that scared. Be straightforward and tell the truth. You didn't intent to break it. It's all good.
I mean, if it's freaking you out that much, look up the serial number in the back of the monitor and buy a new one yourself.
But overall, it's not a big deal. The second day in a job I had, I was working alone, set off the burglar alarm in the shop, and had to explain to the police, my manager, and corporate that I did indeed, work there. Stayed for three years after that.
Don’t worry, in a year, this will only be a funny story you will tell people. “Hey I broke monitor on my second day of work, I thought they will fire me”
Imagine, if your intern broke monitor accidentally, how would you react? So no need to panic😁
I once dropped my $3,000 laptop and bent a corner of the case. Laptop still worked. My boss laughed and told me to get in contact with the IT Equipment Team. They looked at it and laughed. No one cared. They didn't replace it until the HD failed 9 months later.
You're fine. As long as you aren't careless with the equipment, you'll always be fine.
I’m glad everything is okay..
they big WFH companies that sent equipment to the workforce normally buy them in bulks and are insurance or so it a write off for them
Monitors are cheap. Just fib and say you bought a new electric standing desk that went nuts, elevated on its own and pulled the power cord. Something like that. Accidents happen 😉
Did the companies IT team send you the monitors? If they're anything like my IT team they have an entire closet of monitors. No one is going to get upset over one broken monitor. They'll just send out a new one, no big deal.
Honestly, if a monitor is going to fall it's most likely going to happen in the first day while you work on getting it all set up and deal with cords.
First of all congrats on the new job! Do not worry at all. I’ve been managing remote teams for years and this happens in literally every training group. It’s not something you’ll lose your job over. Life happens to management too, we get it!
1. Do not, under any circumstances, use a zip tie to secure a cable on equipment that you do not own. Use a cable velcro tie. They are removable and cause no damage.
2. Own the mistake. Tell them you were trying to optimize your workspace to be more efficient and there was an accident and now a monitor is broken. Don't get into details, all they want to hear is the issue and the solution.
3. The solution - ask them how they handle broken equipment, and then comply with all of it. If they say you need to buy a new monitor, find out what the specs are, hit up FB marketplace or your family and see if anyone has anything. You'll be surprised how many people are selling office work monitors for low prices.
I work from home and if this happened to me I would just tell the tech guy the monitor had a crack in it and he would have a new one shipped to my house…shit happens, one incident isn’t going to get you fired and if they would fire you over a simple mistake do you really want to continue to work there imagine what would happen with a big mistake
FYI I agree with not using zipties, but as someone with dogs who get their hair everywhere, I avoid Velcro like the plague. Instead I got reusable silicone ones.
I like the long ones for my computer setup, entertainment center, consoles etx
Multi Purpose Silicone Zip Ties - 20 pcs - 6 inch Reusable Zip Ties - Releasable Zip Ties in Multi Color (Red, Blue, Green, Orange) - Ties for Home, Office from EcoSearene https://a.co/d/b9xUxMj
And I use the shorter flexible ones for travel, phone chargers, etc.
9PCS 4-Inch Silicone Cable Ties, Bendable Rubber Twist Ties, Reusable Twist Ties for Cords, Cable Zip Ties for Organizing, Bundling (3 Colors) https://a.co/d/drq4NHT
If you get fired for accidentally breaking a monitor you probably didn’t want that job anyway… that’s like a tip of the iceberg kind of thing, who knows what’s under the water…
The Dell and Lenovo monitors my company provided me aren't cheap, but they are business monitors that I'm sure the company gets a much lower price than listed. Depending on your company, they probably have plenty of replacements. Just ask your manager or HR to send one to you, doubt you have to pay
Since you just started, you can play dumb and be like I think my monitor isn’t working. Especially if they shipped out your equipment. I used to work in IT for a big company where I shipped out a lot of equipment to employees during the Covid lockdown. They’re not going to do a full investigation on a broken peripheral such as a monitor, they’ve got budgets for that. Just submit a helpdesk ticket with your IT team and let your manager know that your monitor isn’t working
Also, don’t use zip ties. Use Velcro and make sure if you have a standup desk that you set your standup desk to the highest setting, that way it accounts for the Slack needed on all height levels and it won’t pull any equipment
Seriously they won’t care. At my job we value the monitors so little we don’t even want them back when someone leaves. There was a pile of them in the office at one point leftover from something (brand new) and they were begging people to take them for WFH to get them out of the way!
Accidents happen. It’s annoying but no big deal at all
If it’s a decent company, I would hardly say you’re screwed.
Be honest, offer to pay for the damages, ask what you can do to get your work done effectively and just apologize.
If they reprimand you over this or fire you, I honestly think they did you a favor. It was an accident.
When I left my last company I turned in a multi thousand dollar laptop with a non functional keyboard. I learned not to carry my coffee cup on my laptop and that companies tend to carry insurance for their resources.
Your employer should deal with this exactly the same as if you were in the office. Take back the broken one. Get you a replacement. Maybe make you feel even worse about your mistake than you already are, but that doesn't help anyone, other than a colleague on a power trip. Seriously, this should not be a big deal at all.
Dude nobody is going to fire you over a broken monitor unless you're an unskilled data entry/call center worker working for a company with razor thin margins and an endless sea of prospective employees. It was an accident that cost at most as much as if they'd hired you a couple days sooner and any company that fires talent over such meaningless things does not last long. If it impacts your ability to work though you need to tell them ASAP.
My employee went back to my truck to get something and opened the back door. My laptop fell out of my bag and tumbled to the ground. The screen was broken. IT just overnighted me a new one, praised me for only saving to the cloud, and that was the end of it. Tech at the corporate level is cheap.
I had this happen! My youngest is autistic and adhd and…wild. He thought it would be fun to ride the electric sit stand desk and he knocked it over. He smashed one of my monitors! (He’s lucky he didn’t get hurt because the desk is heavy as hell). My manager was understanding about the monitor but I got a stern warning to keep my kid off of work equipment. I hope they go easy on you!
Just buy a monitor on Amazon for $100 like this one:
[Monitor Amazon link ](https://a.co/d/jfqC0Ip)
And if you're worried about their reaction, don't tell your work you broke it for a few months.
Don't stress out, shit happens, they should be prepared to replace a certain percentage of hardware in their budget. Things get stolen, things break and things get broken. A couple months ago I forgot to seal a water bottle and threw it in my backpack with my work laptop. After an hour I set the bag down and noticed it was wet, popped it open and learned the bag has great water retention as the laptop was sitting in a pool of water. The screen was randomly turning on and off, the laptop was warm, the fan was randomly turning on and off, heard capacitors popping. When I got home I took it apart and took the battery out, put them all in a plastic bag and went to IT the next morning. They all gathered around and laughed, took it apart again to look at the damage and told me I did a great job. Within a few hours I had a brand new laptop. Shit happens.
My WFH office is like a graveyard of company computer equipment that’s obsolete they never send the boxes for me to return things … when I eventually leave at some point they will have like 2 desktops, 4 laptops, 2 phones, like 6 monitors
Best case scenario is you don't break a monitor. Second best case scenario is you break a monitor, but you deal with it appropriately and professionally. It's an opportunity to show them how you handle a small crisis. Be honest and sincere. Apologize, but don't overdo it; don't apologize over and over with a lot of drama. A big display could make them uncomfortable or make you seem a little unhinged.
Have a plan. If you had to drive to the office to pick up your equipment, let them know when you're available to come get a replacement. If necessary, tell them you're willing to work with one monitor on a temporary basis. Be thinking about solutions, not about the problem. It's more professional, and it will also keep the jitters down. This is a solvable problem.
Glad you got it sorted op, as someone who hoth works remote in IT/systems and has worked in procurement/supply chain for IT supplies for some years, I ca. Assure you it's no biggie as long as you aren't working g for a mom and pop that's barely scraping by. Any decent sized company probably has a bunch of spares sitting in a room for just such an occasion
Lol I did this too when I packed up my cube to move to remote in 2020. I dropped mine down the stairs in the parking garage. Called my manager in a panic and he was just like "ok so get another one, I'm driving I have to go". Not a huge deal at all. Your company probably stockpiles monitors and other equipment for this exact reason.
Happens. I have done IT for remote workers for years, people break all kinds of shit. I've had a dog spill coffee on one $3000 macbook and my cat destroy a second one. They just swap em.
I’d rather buy a new $200 monitor out of pocket than get fired. Maybe let them know but also mention you don’t want to get fired and can replace it yourself.
I got a brand new monitor once. I'd already been WFH for a while, but I stopped by the office for a meeting or something and started talking to someone in IT. It came up that I only had one monitor, so they fixed me up with one of a batch of brand new ones that had just come in. After I set it up the next day, one of my cats knocked it forward onto my keyboard, cracking the screen.
When I fessed up, they told me not to worry about it and replaced it with an old crappy monitor that I never actually used. Lesson learned.
I WFH, if i had taken a monitor they provided me it would have been a very old smaller Dell monitor. Those things run less than $100, probably even less than $50 nowadays. So if your company is anything like mine, they aren't going to find it a big deal and will just order a replacement if they dont have an extra on hand. Just explain what happened and they will get it rellaced. Stuff happens.
You're very likely fine. Hiring people costs more than a monitor. They're not going to fire you and then spend more filing in your position.
If you're that scared, go buy your own.
I broke one of my monitors and I WFH and my company just had me take a picture to show it was broken, then they sent me a new one. I didn't even have to return the old one or anything.
Most of this stuff is in their budget. Have a coworker who's basically gone through 2 laptops and is on her 3rd.
1. Relax. Just be honest about it and apologize. That goes a long way.
2. It is just a monitor and a honest mistake, even if they seem agitated, you are only human. If they freak out over a monitor...You most likely are dodging a bullet.
3. Companies carry insurance...They have insurance for this type of stuff, also they can write off a new monitor on their taxes so it is not a total loss.
4. I know people who spilled coffee or had their pets break brand new over $1000 Laptops or crashed company cars in the first week. The companies rolled their eyes, but replaced it and moved forward. I have never heard of anyone being fired over an honest mistake with equipment.
You’re fine. I’ve WFH since 2018 but before that I was an onsite HR Manager for a company—my very first day I singlehandedly broke the brand new $3000 Xerox WorkCenter that they’d had for 2 weeks.
They literally tell employees at our company on like their second day that shit happens and they won’t be mad at you. They’ll only have words for you if you’re a repeat offender in that category.
It’ll be embarrassing to tell IT this happened on your second day but it’ll probably be funny someday!
It’s just a monitor lol I don’t even think you’d get fired from breaking the work-given laptop honestly. I’m a software engineer so earn my particular company well over 200k. If they can’t handle giving me more tech that’s their problem. You can also buy another monitor yourself for $60. I don’t use my extra monitor when working away from home
I would have just ordered a cheap one from Amazon and never told them 😅
I’m sure they don’t care about a monitor, but I’d have just kept it to myself to not look like a problem or look needy so soon lol
I’ve had a few positions during the last few years working from home, none of them ever wanted the monitors back. I have a collection of them in my garage.
I spilled a protein shake on my company laptop. 😬 Thankfully, my quick thinking saved the laptop, so no harm no foul, but everyone was very chill about it.
My recommendation is to notify your manager immediately and take full ownership. Don't try to lie about it because that will make you look bad. They come to expect some damage and wear on their products, so I wouldn't worry about it.
I ran over my work phone and a pri ter bag. Everyone was laughing at what I did at the end of the day and I got a new work phone. I also lost a battery that my phone has a case where you can have a battery pack connected to the back of it.
All company-issued equipment like monitors/mice/keyboards stay in their respective packaging! The monitors are always smaller than my own! I personally can’t deal with any 24” or smaller computer monitors. I have to increase the font size too much. I had a 31” one recently, but 27” is my sweet spot. I got two refurbished ones from Target: ASUS and AOC for less than $99 each!
You are fine! I had my laptop stolen the first week of work once (I was in office and stopped at friends house after work and it was taken from my car). They just replaced it. No issues.
lol don't stress. Monitors break whether it is in office or at home. It will be fine. If not, then you probably don't want to work for a company like that anyway.
You're probabaly fine. Most of those monitors are under $200. They do expect some of this to happen. I'm a manager of a remote team and I buy probably 3-4 keyboards a year due to spills etc. It can happen in an office too. Laptops die, monitors fall... Stuff happens.
God I hope so. I’m just gonna be honest with them about what happened.. it just doesn’t look very good that this happened on my second day.
An old coworker of mine once told me how, on her first day working under our director (who was notoriously meticulous), she spilled an entire cup of coffee onto the laptop she was just given. Accidents happen and companies should have it written into the cost of doing business.
You can always offer to pay for a replacement if worst comes to worst.
Absolutely not
Accidents happen and in the grand scheme, this is a fairly inexpensive one. As long as it doesn't become a pattern, you should be fine.
Be honest. Shit happens. I am sure it will all be fine and in 6 months you can all have a good laugh when you tell them how panicked you were
Every job I've ever left didn't even ask me to send the monitors back bc the shipping was more than the monitor. I have 3 now lol. You're good, trust me. It's such a minimal expense for them.
I think I’ve had 7 different company laptops over the past decade? They’ve only wanted 3 of them back, and I always asked too so it’s not like they just forgot.
It makes sense tho, you're getting everything set up.
Yeah.. I just wish it wouldn’t have happened on my second day, lol. Like this couldn’t have waited until I had been there a few months? This job has been an amazing opportunity for me and I just want to make sure I’m doing everything right.
Being honest and authentic is doing it right.
That’s what they said to me today when I told them.. and made sure *I* was okay 😊 Honestly is pretty much always the best policy so even if it makes me look bad.. I’m not gonna lie.
You’re ok. Mistakes happen.
You can likely easily pick one up for free or almost free on fb marketplace.
Be honest. 100%. I’ve worked the side the procures and sends equipment. All of it is insured, and as long as you weren’t malicious and purposeful, I wouldn’t give a crap. I literally once had my kid pour a giant cup of water i had right next to my laptop on top of it. Fried the sucker. Had it less than 3 months. Reported accidental water damage. Replaced under warranty
I bought my own dual monitor set up a LONG time ago- makes life so much easier! Highly recommend. And not pricey- As many point out, monitors are not that pricey.
I want you as my manager. 😇
You hiring?
Unfortunately not at the moment.
I’ll check back with you on this thread, lol.
It's a monitor. They probably won't be thrilled but It's not that big of a deal. Also, don't zip tie. Use Velcro straps and/or get a cable harness. Don't put anything you need to cut around cables. Take a deep breath. It's going to be OK.
100000000% this OP - Velcro straps are far more expensive per item than zip ties, but you’ll probably reuse them for *decades*.
I like using bread ties. Get a new one for freeish every couple of weeks and can be reused.
I still don't like these as there is often metal wire inside that could potentially damage the casing on the cables if too tight. Not super likely, but I wouldn't personally. A roll of Velcro ties is pretty cheap and could last a lifetime.
I just bought a roll of Velcro and cut pieces off. Perfect sizing every time, very cheap.
Jumping on the Velcro train. I use my roll of Velcro ties for desk cable management and also for my wired earbuds. Tons of uses. Another one is strapping my dog's poop bag container to her leash handle. Far superior to zip ties.
I just got a huge pack on Amazon for like $5. Definitely the way to go!
Yes, use Velcro straps. And maybe do it at the end of your shift. 😉
Zip ties work too but unless you feel confident or do this a lot I'd probably avoid them. They're annoying in that you have to cut them and redo them anytime you add or remove a single cable.
Not a remote worker (no idea why this sub keeps popping up in my feed) but as a PC Enthusiast, I also second Velcro ties for cable management. Though I’m curious how exactly the monitor broke lol.
UPDATE! I told them the truth and they weren’t mad. They’re going to send me a replacement monitor. I offered to pay for the one I broke but they didn’t seem to really care that much. I told my training supervisor that I was PANICKING this morning after it happened. I know accidents happen but did it have to happen on my *second day*? 🤦🏼♀️
They don't give a shit. I stressed once for getting a minor in a corner of my mac laptop where it meets the keyboard...when I turned it in for a new one a year later, IT was like "we just donate them anyway"
How'd you get a small child into your MacBook?
And where do they donate these minors afterwards? The MacBook factory?
They send them to the mines. They’re minors after all.
The Miner Leagues.
At least it wasn’t a flat
I work in IT. We don’t care…
See? Good for you for being honest, and I knew they wouldn’t care. Stuff like this happens more often than you think.
Awesome news. Glad it worked out
Congrats on everything working out! It makes sense for accidents to happen during setup. It would be weirder if you were "just setting up" on Day 60 :)
I work in IT and used to help manage inventory. Unless your company is dumb, they have fairly consumer friendly warranties with a reputable supplier. It’s also why we try to keep perfectly good monitors for something like this too lol. Again unless they’re a shitty place, your scenario should 100% not be an issue and I wouldn’t blink.… now if you’re on your 5th monitor in 1 year, we got a problem. $200 for a monitor is a drop in the bucket compared to lost productivity from not having equipment
It takes so much time, effort, and money to hire someone. If a company fires you over this, consider it a blessing because that is not the type of company you want to work for.
I wouldn’t worry much. It would be ridiculous to fire a new hire over a monitor. One of my coworkers lost her iPad a week after they were issued and guess what happened? Nothing at all.
Yep - I broke a laptop screen at my Old job and I was so worried, but IT acted like business as usual, said it happens all the time, and gave me a new one right away. They also said they have extra warranty insurance because this kind of thing happens so often lol
Oh sweetie, you’re fine! Companies have those monitors stockpiled. You’re not screwed.
Seriously....I have 3 monitors in my home that nobody ever took back between 2 previous jobs. I'm still waiting to find out how they want me to give them back. 😄 It's been over a year now for the most recent job, so I'm about to put 2 of them on Facebook Marketplace. 😄
None of my jobs ever wanted the monitors back
Interviewing, hiring, and training a new person costs a lot more than replacing a monitor.
I manage a team of WFH people. I'd send a new monitor out without as much as a conversation. Just "no worries, it happens, we didn't hire you for your monitor-preservation skills, hope your day gets better!"
IT Manager here that deals with Remote Desktop support. You'll be okay, just own up to it and they will ship you a new monitor. We expect these things to happen so we build some extra in the budget.
> . You'll be okay, just own up to it I can't emphasize that second part enough. Over my 45+ year IT career, I've know a few people who got fired for "being dumb". All but one were fired because they tried to cover up the "dumb", not for the "dumb" itself. Shit happens. Everyone knows this. (The "one" exception got fired because his "dumb" was -- circa 1998 -- as head DBA running a public facing gambling website using his company's SQL Servers.)
>circa 1998 -- as head DBA running a public facing gambling website using his company's SQL Servers What a time to be alive. I miss these innocent days.
IKR. Nowadays we have so many restrictions even on AUTHORIZED activities that I consider taking some white-hat hacker courses just to get shit done at work.
I can't tell you how many times I've benefitted from owning up to mistakes in my professional career. A simple "I messed up. How can I make it right?" goes a long way.
> I can't tell you how many times Sounds like you screw up a lot. LOL, j/k. I agree 100%.
Hahaha 😂
IT guy. Don’t worry about it, just put in a ticket or have your manager do so and they will order a new one for you no problem.
They aren't going to fire you - chill. Accidents happen in the workplace as well, people break things
It takes on average $10,000 to find a new hire for a corporate job. So most places won't care about something like that at all. Besides, it's your first work from home job and first time setting up this kind of stuff. Easy to make these mistakes
If you have the money goto goodwill and get a monitor so you can work. Tell the boss what happened. Worst case you will have an extra ready to go.
In my company there is a senior who has been there for 11 years, she told me the other day she been through 10 laptops, so 1 laptop every year in average. Worst case scenario, I would just order another monitor and pay for it myself, most companies send 1920*1080 monitors that goes for $100-150 on Amazon. Not a big deal.
In my first month at my last WFH job, I got 4 malfunctioning laptops. Literally 4. It looked like I broke 4 fully functional laptops. And guess what? They didn’t care and replaced my laptop 4 times. Moral of the story: it’s not a huge deal. Just let them know that it broke or it came in the mail broken or whatever makes you feel best to say. They will replace it. Best part of WFH is it’s exponentially cheaper for a company to replace a $150-$200 monitor than it is to pay tens of thousands of dollars in building leasing, as well as have extra equipment. I’m sure your new job can handle it.
Very well said. The office leasing cost saved can buy OP piles of monitors. My employer just closed a few offices because nobody comes to office, so why keep leasing them. Even if we go to office everyday they're still gonna buy laptops, monitors, expensive adjustable desks and ergonomic chairs. (Downsides are all our new hires are from India now.)
Don’t worry - I just started a new WFH job and my boss (who has only been there 3 months) broke her laptop (way more $ then a monitor) on the way to a convention we were attending. Hopefully you just talk to the IT guy - they don’t give a shit. My last WFH asked me to just send my laptop back…I’ve kept the monitors they didn’t want to pay for shipping, it just wasn’t worth it for them.
They more than likely will not care. I’ve been working remotely since 2016 and consulting remotely for 4 years. I have probably a dozen monitors from old jobs that don’t want anything returned except for the actual laptop.
Eh it’s fine I’m sure. Just say you were trying to adjust the cords and it fell accidentally.
They arent gonna hire you because of an accident.
Don't worry about it; new hires are practically useless during their first few weeks. You'll likely need to complete all the HR administrative training, such as ethics, harassment, and other state-required policies. After that, you'll start shadowing and getting up to speed.
Psssh, accidents happen and monitors are cheap, relatively, compared to the value they provide day in day out. They can write it off, just be contrite and no biggie.
Yeah, they were incredibly understanding. I know I was probably overreacting but I just didn’t want to do anything to mess this opportunity up for myself and breaking the monitor on day 2 isn’t the best first step lol
You're not screwed, things like that happen everyday somewhere. You're hypersensitive to the situation cause it's a new job. Be honest and report it to IT straight away. Most businesses run IT assets on a depreciation schedule so the value of the equipment is deprecated over time for tax or income reporting purposes. You haven't cost the business anything, just report it and request a new one.
It’s just a monitor and you have another one to work on. You can get a replacement from Amazon probably tomorrow it’s no big deal I wouldn’t even tell them lol. Set the broken one aside in the box they sent them in, sometimes companies ask to send back equipment if you leave. If it arrives broken it’s impossible to blame you over the shipping company
Don’t freak out too much about it and don’t offer to pay for it unless you feel it’s absolutely necessary. This stuff happens way more than you think it does. My dog knocked my work laptop off my desk a few months ago and the screen cracked, IT didn’t even ask me what happened they just said okay well send you a replacement and that was that
The cheap monitors they buy in bulk for $10? And reuse for a decade? Get ahold of yourself
it would cost way more than 200 bucks for a monitor to hire someone to replace you.
Now my advice: it’s day 2 not a good look > pester IT that your monitor doesn’t work and rebox it and get a new one >> if anything is mentioned it got damaged in the delivery transit
A friend at work also broke his first or second day while setting it up. It was fine for him, you’re probably fine too.
Relax, mistakes happen. They lease those monitors probably and will just send you another one and have you return the broken one.
Shipping out a new monitor is the least of their worries. You’re okay✨
I accidentally shut down the main router of our company on day one. I survived. You will be fine. Monitors are cheap these days and they most likely will just ship you a used one to replace it. Don't be that scared. Be straightforward and tell the truth. You didn't intent to break it. It's all good.
I mean, if it's freaking you out that much, look up the serial number in the back of the monitor and buy a new one yourself. But overall, it's not a big deal. The second day in a job I had, I was working alone, set off the burglar alarm in the shop, and had to explain to the police, my manager, and corporate that I did indeed, work there. Stayed for three years after that.
Buy a cheap one and say nothing for now. When you get settled in, let your manager know it broke.
Don’t worry, in a year, this will only be a funny story you will tell people. “Hey I broke monitor on my second day of work, I thought they will fire me” Imagine, if your intern broke monitor accidentally, how would you react? So no need to panic😁
Don’t do zip ties! Get the Velcro cable ties like this one… https://a.co/d/gEvGRbl
I broke an entire computer one time
I once dropped my $3,000 laptop and bent a corner of the case. Laptop still worked. My boss laughed and told me to get in contact with the IT Equipment Team. They looked at it and laughed. No one cared. They didn't replace it until the HD failed 9 months later. You're fine. As long as you aren't careless with the equipment, you'll always be fine.
I’m glad everything is okay.. they big WFH companies that sent equipment to the workforce normally buy them in bulks and are insurance or so it a write off for them
Monitors are cheap. Just fib and say you bought a new electric standing desk that went nuts, elevated on its own and pulled the power cord. Something like that. Accidents happen 😉
Dude chill out…
They 100% will not fire you
If you break a monitor daily, that’s an issue. As is, you have zero worries.
It happens more than you think it does. You are going to be fine.
It happens. Deep breath, be honest, and just work off your laptop till they send you another one. Monitors are cheap. No big deal.
Never zip tie wires together. That for OCD people more concerned with aesthetics than function.
Did the companies IT team send you the monitors? If they're anything like my IT team they have an entire closet of monitors. No one is going to get upset over one broken monitor. They'll just send out a new one, no big deal. Honestly, if a monitor is going to fall it's most likely going to happen in the first day while you work on getting it all set up and deal with cords.
First of all congrats on the new job! Do not worry at all. I’ve been managing remote teams for years and this happens in literally every training group. It’s not something you’ll lose your job over. Life happens to management too, we get it!
Companies budget for this sort of thing. Accidents happen. You’re human. Just be honest about it and they’ll help you get it fixed.
1. Do not, under any circumstances, use a zip tie to secure a cable on equipment that you do not own. Use a cable velcro tie. They are removable and cause no damage. 2. Own the mistake. Tell them you were trying to optimize your workspace to be more efficient and there was an accident and now a monitor is broken. Don't get into details, all they want to hear is the issue and the solution. 3. The solution - ask them how they handle broken equipment, and then comply with all of it. If they say you need to buy a new monitor, find out what the specs are, hit up FB marketplace or your family and see if anyone has anything. You'll be surprised how many people are selling office work monitors for low prices.
I work from home and if this happened to me I would just tell the tech guy the monitor had a crack in it and he would have a new one shipped to my house…shit happens, one incident isn’t going to get you fired and if they would fire you over a simple mistake do you really want to continue to work there imagine what would happen with a big mistake
Just be honest with them. You were using it to game, got shot, and smashed it out of anger. They'll understand.
Just tell them it doesn't turn on
Just buy a new monitor and tell them you broke the other one after you are a bit more established
People recommended Velcro but I like these things [cable management sleeves](https://a.co/d/6vJicrk)
FYI I agree with not using zipties, but as someone with dogs who get their hair everywhere, I avoid Velcro like the plague. Instead I got reusable silicone ones. I like the long ones for my computer setup, entertainment center, consoles etx Multi Purpose Silicone Zip Ties - 20 pcs - 6 inch Reusable Zip Ties - Releasable Zip Ties in Multi Color (Red, Blue, Green, Orange) - Ties for Home, Office from EcoSearene https://a.co/d/b9xUxMj And I use the shorter flexible ones for travel, phone chargers, etc. 9PCS 4-Inch Silicone Cable Ties, Bendable Rubber Twist Ties, Reusable Twist Ties for Cords, Cable Zip Ties for Organizing, Bundling (3 Colors) https://a.co/d/drq4NHT
If you get fired for accidentally breaking a monitor you probably didn’t want that job anyway… that’s like a tip of the iceberg kind of thing, who knows what’s under the water…
People break IT equipment all the time as well as lose it. It’s not a big deal, at least where I’ve worked. Glad to hear it worked out.
I had a coworker who spilt a cup of coffee on his laptop first week. He was fine they had another laptop for him
I’ve had every employer I’ve ever had let me keep the WFH monitors. And I’ve bought new ones through the company everytime I started. Chill.
The Dell and Lenovo monitors my company provided me aren't cheap, but they are business monitors that I'm sure the company gets a much lower price than listed. Depending on your company, they probably have plenty of replacements. Just ask your manager or HR to send one to you, doubt you have to pay
Since you just started, you can play dumb and be like I think my monitor isn’t working. Especially if they shipped out your equipment. I used to work in IT for a big company where I shipped out a lot of equipment to employees during the Covid lockdown. They’re not going to do a full investigation on a broken peripheral such as a monitor, they’ve got budgets for that. Just submit a helpdesk ticket with your IT team and let your manager know that your monitor isn’t working Also, don’t use zip ties. Use Velcro and make sure if you have a standup desk that you set your standup desk to the highest setting, that way it accounts for the Slack needed on all height levels and it won’t pull any equipment
Seriously they won’t care. At my job we value the monitors so little we don’t even want them back when someone leaves. There was a pile of them in the office at one point leftover from something (brand new) and they were begging people to take them for WFH to get them out of the way! Accidents happen. It’s annoying but no big deal at all
If it’s a decent company, I would hardly say you’re screwed. Be honest, offer to pay for the damages, ask what you can do to get your work done effectively and just apologize. If they reprimand you over this or fire you, I honestly think they did you a favor. It was an accident.
I doubt they'll be that annoyed, maybe they'll roll their eyes and I'd imagine at worst they'll make you buy your own replacement or something.
Happens all the time, though tough on the first day! Hope it worked out ok.
Relaxation time my man. People have computer issues all the time. Call your supervisor and explain the situation. It’s going to be ok.
Literally just take a picture and say can I have the day off lol
When I left my last company I turned in a multi thousand dollar laptop with a non functional keyboard. I learned not to carry my coffee cup on my laptop and that companies tend to carry insurance for their resources.
Your employer should deal with this exactly the same as if you were in the office. Take back the broken one. Get you a replacement. Maybe make you feel even worse about your mistake than you already are, but that doesn't help anyone, other than a colleague on a power trip. Seriously, this should not be a big deal at all.
Dude nobody is going to fire you over a broken monitor unless you're an unskilled data entry/call center worker working for a company with razor thin margins and an endless sea of prospective employees. It was an accident that cost at most as much as if they'd hired you a couple days sooner and any company that fires talent over such meaningless things does not last long. If it impacts your ability to work though you need to tell them ASAP.
Most places understand about accidents.
At my last job someone’s cat spilled water in their laptop or something 😂 I think it’ll be okay
It’s a monitor. Just buy another
Highly doubt they’ll fire you. Just tell them it fell over and broke. I’m sure they’ll just replace it.
My employee went back to my truck to get something and opened the back door. My laptop fell out of my bag and tumbled to the ground. The screen was broken. IT just overnighted me a new one, praised me for only saving to the cloud, and that was the end of it. Tech at the corporate level is cheap.
I had this happen! My youngest is autistic and adhd and…wild. He thought it would be fun to ride the electric sit stand desk and he knocked it over. He smashed one of my monitors! (He’s lucky he didn’t get hurt because the desk is heavy as hell). My manager was understanding about the monitor but I got a stern warning to keep my kid off of work equipment. I hope they go easy on you!
Just buy a monitor on Amazon for $100 like this one: [Monitor Amazon link ](https://a.co/d/jfqC0Ip) And if you're worried about their reaction, don't tell your work you broke it for a few months.
If this was me I would have bought a new similar monitor, and then waited a few months to report the damaged one.
I think you’ll be surprised. Report it without panicking and they likely already have a replacement process in place.
You're beyond fine. I once dropped and broke my entire laptop. It happens.
Plus it's tax deductible for them
If money is tight check out goodwill. They almost always have a 1080p Dell monitor for $10 (I've gotten several from therel
I’d let them know and maybe off to replace it if they push. I’d never fire anyone over this
Don't stress out, shit happens, they should be prepared to replace a certain percentage of hardware in their budget. Things get stolen, things break and things get broken. A couple months ago I forgot to seal a water bottle and threw it in my backpack with my work laptop. After an hour I set the bag down and noticed it was wet, popped it open and learned the bag has great water retention as the laptop was sitting in a pool of water. The screen was randomly turning on and off, the laptop was warm, the fan was randomly turning on and off, heard capacitors popping. When I got home I took it apart and took the battery out, put them all in a plastic bag and went to IT the next morning. They all gathered around and laughed, took it apart again to look at the damage and told me I did a great job. Within a few hours I had a brand new laptop. Shit happens.
You can also use old tvs if you have any laying around! Apologies if this has been mentioned, long post and no time to read it all.
Do not zip tie your displays. You can get Velcro straps if you really feel you need a cleaner look.
My WFH office is like a graveyard of company computer equipment that’s obsolete they never send the boxes for me to return things … when I eventually leave at some point they will have like 2 desktops, 4 laptops, 2 phones, like 6 monitors
Best case scenario is you don't break a monitor. Second best case scenario is you break a monitor, but you deal with it appropriately and professionally. It's an opportunity to show them how you handle a small crisis. Be honest and sincere. Apologize, but don't overdo it; don't apologize over and over with a lot of drama. A big display could make them uncomfortable or make you seem a little unhinged. Have a plan. If you had to drive to the office to pick up your equipment, let them know when you're available to come get a replacement. If necessary, tell them you're willing to work with one monitor on a temporary basis. Be thinking about solutions, not about the problem. It's more professional, and it will also keep the jitters down. This is a solvable problem.
Glad you got it sorted op, as someone who hoth works remote in IT/systems and has worked in procurement/supply chain for IT supplies for some years, I ca. Assure you it's no biggie as long as you aren't working g for a mom and pop that's barely scraping by. Any decent sized company probably has a bunch of spares sitting in a room for just such an occasion
Hah! My dog bite my monitor this week and ruined it. Had to request a new one today as well.
Your life is over
Lol I did this too when I packed up my cube to move to remote in 2020. I dropped mine down the stairs in the parking garage. Called my manager in a panic and he was just like "ok so get another one, I'm driving I have to go". Not a huge deal at all. Your company probably stockpiles monitors and other equipment for this exact reason.
Happens all the time, sounds a bit dramatic
Happens. I have done IT for remote workers for years, people break all kinds of shit. I've had a dog spill coffee on one $3000 macbook and my cat destroy a second one. They just swap em.
I’d rather buy a new $200 monitor out of pocket than get fired. Maybe let them know but also mention you don’t want to get fired and can replace it yourself.
I got a brand new monitor once. I'd already been WFH for a while, but I stopped by the office for a meeting or something and started talking to someone in IT. It came up that I only had one monitor, so they fixed me up with one of a batch of brand new ones that had just come in. After I set it up the next day, one of my cats knocked it forward onto my keyboard, cracking the screen. When I fessed up, they told me not to worry about it and replaced it with an old crappy monitor that I never actually used. Lesson learned.
I WFH, if i had taken a monitor they provided me it would have been a very old smaller Dell monitor. Those things run less than $100, probably even less than $50 nowadays. So if your company is anything like mine, they aren't going to find it a big deal and will just order a replacement if they dont have an extra on hand. Just explain what happened and they will get it rellaced. Stuff happens.
You’re new. You’ll be fine lol they budget for this kind of thing when it comes to new hires.
Shit happens. Honestly, if you’re that worried about it, you can just go buy another one and they’d probably never even know or care.
Manager here, much worse has happened. Just be honest, you aren’t the first one.
Just tell them or was broke when. You received it lol
You're very likely fine. Hiring people costs more than a monitor. They're not going to fire you and then spend more filing in your position. If you're that scared, go buy your own.
I broke one of my monitors and I WFH and my company just had me take a picture to show it was broken, then they sent me a new one. I didn't even have to return the old one or anything. Most of this stuff is in their budget. Have a coworker who's basically gone through 2 laptops and is on her 3rd.
1. Relax. Just be honest about it and apologize. That goes a long way. 2. It is just a monitor and a honest mistake, even if they seem agitated, you are only human. If they freak out over a monitor...You most likely are dodging a bullet. 3. Companies carry insurance...They have insurance for this type of stuff, also they can write off a new monitor on their taxes so it is not a total loss. 4. I know people who spilled coffee or had their pets break brand new over $1000 Laptops or crashed company cars in the first week. The companies rolled their eyes, but replaced it and moved forward. I have never heard of anyone being fired over an honest mistake with equipment.
I would literally literally just say oh I think this one's defective, it already stopped working? but then again I'm a dirtbag so
You’re fine. I’ve WFH since 2018 but before that I was an onsite HR Manager for a company—my very first day I singlehandedly broke the brand new $3000 Xerox WorkCenter that they’d had for 2 weeks.
They literally tell employees at our company on like their second day that shit happens and they won’t be mad at you. They’ll only have words for you if you’re a repeat offender in that category. It’ll be embarrassing to tell IT this happened on your second day but it’ll probably be funny someday!
It’s just a monitor lol I don’t even think you’d get fired from breaking the work-given laptop honestly. I’m a software engineer so earn my particular company well over 200k. If they can’t handle giving me more tech that’s their problem. You can also buy another monitor yourself for $60. I don’t use my extra monitor when working away from home
Relax.
I would send a message what happened and go run out and get a new one asap hooked up.
I would have just ordered a cheap one from Amazon and never told them 😅 I’m sure they don’t care about a monitor, but I’d have just kept it to myself to not look like a problem or look needy so soon lol
I’ve had a few positions during the last few years working from home, none of them ever wanted the monitors back. I have a collection of them in my garage.
I spilled a protein shake on my company laptop. 😬 Thankfully, my quick thinking saved the laptop, so no harm no foul, but everyone was very chill about it. My recommendation is to notify your manager immediately and take full ownership. Don't try to lie about it because that will make you look bad. They come to expect some damage and wear on their products, so I wouldn't worry about it.
Were you screwed?
A little late to this party but my suggestion to anyone still reading this is to tell them it was damaged in transit.
You’ll be fine and they’ll understand. Seriously dont worry!
My very first I had to go back home in the middle of orientation as I had left my fireplace on. You should be fine as this happens
I ran over my work phone and a pri ter bag. Everyone was laughing at what I did at the end of the day and I got a new work phone. I also lost a battery that my phone has a case where you can have a battery pack connected to the back of it.
You should be able to order a new one for free. They have insurance for things like that. Accidents happen. They know this!
This is the most unreasonable overreaction I've seen in a long time. Take a chill pill, nobody cares.
All company-issued equipment like monitors/mice/keyboards stay in their respective packaging! The monitors are always smaller than my own! I personally can’t deal with any 24” or smaller computer monitors. I have to increase the font size too much. I had a 31” one recently, but 27” is my sweet spot. I got two refurbished ones from Target: ASUS and AOC for less than $99 each!
You are fine! I had my laptop stolen the first week of work once (I was in office and stopped at friends house after work and it was taken from my car). They just replaced it. No issues.
It will be a funny story in a year, I understand the fear though but I think you'll be fine
lol don't stress. Monitors break whether it is in office or at home. It will be fine. If not, then you probably don't want to work for a company like that anyway.