Published by Gbaf News
Posted on November 18, 2015
3 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Finance workers have revealed what they think are the top 10 most socially awkward situations that inevitably happen at work, as part of the British Heart Foundation’s new Raise Funds Your Way campaign to get workplaces fundraising to fight heart disease.
No matter where you work, there’s always going to be those uncomfortable moments you just can’t escape from. From mild mishaps to excruciatingly embarrassing encounters, the BHF poll reveals what ranked highest in the list of the most cringe-worthy office situations which have come to form part of the daily grind.
Top of the list for finance workers was spilling something down your clothes moments before an important meeting (24%), followed by that tricky moment when your boss calls you the wrong name and you don’t know whether to correct them (19%). Accidentally clicking reply all to a private email (19%) was third followed by making small talk at the tea point (19%). (2)
Some of these awkward encounters might be explained by the fact that over two fifths (43%) of finance 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 finance workers even go to extraordinary lengths to avoid uneasy situations with colleagues by taking a different lift, eating their lunch at their desk or even taking an entirely different route home from work.
The BHF is calling on finance workers to avoid these socially awkward situations and get to know their colleagues better by holding a fundraising event at work and raising funds your way for life saving research.
Almost half (48%) of finance workers said fundraising in the workplace was a great way to break down barriers and get to know colleagues, while 44% said it helps boost staff morale.
Every year thousands of workplaces across the UK choose to support the BHF, and bring together teams to raise vital funds with events such as coffee mornings and cake bakes to lunchtime walks and dress down days.
Sign up to Raise Funds Your Way and get your free fundraising pack at www.bhf.org.uk/yourway for fantastic ideas on how to get involved.
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 7million 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 your free fundraising pack visit www.bhf.org.uk/yourway
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