How can I address the issue of a broken desktop screen with my manager?

Question

Due to lockdown, I was given desktop to work from home. One day I thought of cleaning desktop table and monitor as well. I kept my monitor on a box and started cleaning the table. I was keeping all the things on floor which are on table. Accidentally, I moved back and the box on which I kept desktop moved slightly and monitor has fallen on the object placed in front of it.

Immediately I didn't see any cracks on my screen. It was all good. But when I tried to login into it I see some rainbow lines and few cracks on screen. I am scared to address this issue to my manager and also I'm afraid that, am I responsible to pay for the replacement. I asked one of my friend , who works in hardware department ( not my company IT person, some outsider) he told me it costs around ₹7k to ₹8k ($100USD) for screen replacement and I cannot afford that much as i'm the only person earning in my family.Please suggest how i should address this issue to my manager.

Answer 1

Tell your IT support.

Let them know that you were cleaning and accidentally knocked a heavy object onto the screen. The computer is functional, you are able to work, but the screen is definitely damaged.

Ask what you can do to help with getting it fixed. Accept responsibility and let them know.

I've been in tech support for multiple years, and the stupidest things show up. An accident is not stupid. It is very boring actually. Employees with kids will show up with just some of the craziest stupidest things, like peanut butter sandwich inside CD drive, or using paint on the screen. What annoys IT support is the deflection of responsibility, pretending nothing is wrong, being demanding, and blaming others.

Accept responsibility, apologize, and ask what you can do to help.

Even if it costs $100 to replace, you're not the first to damage office equipment, you won't be the last, and it really is very common (Laptop on car roofs fly off? Run over by a car? Dropped out a window?)

You hope they won't take it out of the paycheck, but they can, or they might just not. It wasn't deliberate (to get an upgrade), you didn't sell company property, or do something criminal. By and large this is a very, very mundane event.