The other day I was instructed to call to confirm my benefit enrollment package at my current job. Using my work phone, and being the efficient worker that I like to think I am, I decided to multi-task and dial the number using my speaker without missing a beat and continuing to work at my computer.
It was then that I became acutely aware that perhaps multi-tasking isn't always the effective process that it claims to be. Of course I've learned this years ago, as the majority of my most embarrassing moments have occurred during a less-than-distracted state of mind. And yet, I continue to try.
Lesson learned: Do not multi-task when dialing the phone. It is extremely easy but can appear incredibly motive-altering to confuse the ‘866’ preface with ‘888’. It just so happens in this story that's what I did. I then was redirected. At this point, I was still unaware of my '2-digit mistake'. I actually became quite “excited” that I "was about to have live talk" as opposed to the routinely expected automated services that these benefit providers often entail. However, it was not exactly the ‘live talk’ I was expecting.
While I think she would have been interested in discussing a package- I soon realized the smoky voice on the other end of the line was not speaking of my benefits package. My eyes grew wide, as I searched for the speaker button as fast as I could. I picked up the reciever and slammed it down stopping the voice. I felt dirty. Had anyone else heard? I listened from my desk. All that I could hear was the quiet hum of my computer. Then some talking in the distance. I waited. I was fully expecting the IT department to come running down the hall and into my office at any second. Surely I was to be arrested. I knew they knew everything we did. How was I to explain calling a 'dirty' number from work??
I ran down the hall to find someone. Anyone. After much discussion next door to me, I was finally reassured by my co-workers that they had not heard the call, and as long as it was an 800 number, and no charge yet- I would be fine. I was flooded with relief. Could it be true? I wasn't going to lose my job after all- or go to jail! I wasn't sure how they handled this. I just remembered the warnings from HR. No surfing porn. No calling dirty numbers. No wearing flip-flops. The rules and expectations were endless.
Of course I'm not sure I should always believe a bunch of retired Navy sailors; however, I still haven't heard anything from the scary IT department- so that's always a good sign.
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