Do your workplace’s obligatory online training modules make you want to smash your monitor with your coffee mug in frustration? Survive them with this handy guide.
Engage the least possible amount of brain
Don’t read any of the text and click through as quickly as you can. Amazingly, you’ll probably still manage to answer incredibly tough questions like: ‘Should you ask your line manager if you don’t understand something?’ or ‘You punch Tom from marketing in the face. Is this acceptable?’
Do it at the last minute
Your boss has been getting supercilious reminders from HR that only 50 per cent of her team have done the training two days before the deadline, so stress them all out by leaving it until 17.29 on Friday. It’s all about the small victories.
Find the colleague responsible and take them hostage
Calmly advise security that you are happy to release Martin from compliance with all his fingers still attached as soon as managers have clicked on four jigsaw puzzle-shaped pieces, and dragged them to a corresponding box to learn more about teamwork. It’s such an effective way to gain knowledge you’re surprised the world’s leading universities don’t do it.
Jump out of the window
It may take time to find an actual opening window in the hermetically sealed box that is your office building, possibly designed this way to prevent staff escaping. However, several broken limbs is still better than clicking on and reading about five items that could be a risk to workplace security.
Refuse to do it
Yes, you’ll end up getting fired, sleeping in a bus shelter and using a nearby bin as your toilet, but at least you won’t ever have to watch a clip of an American called Chad telling you about GDPR.
Of course.
It's January. Bored senior managers with nothing else to do are "ticking those boxes" again...
Sigh.
My workplaces that had obligatory training (diversity, organizational management, team building) always did them in person. A week with a group, broken into smaller groups. I always felt like a prisoner.
ReplyDeleteSuch a waste of time, regardless how they are delivered. You never learn anything meaningful from any of them. Jx
Delete*sudden urge to tear out my hair in recollection* Team building is the worst.
DeleteI have never ever taken part in a "team-building exercise", other than going to the pub with some of the few people from work I actually do like... Jx
Delete*shudders* at the very thought. When I was a teen (not so long ago), I did a food hygiene and a health and safety course (don't ask, it was a phase I was going through). Seated around a table with 25 strangers we were asked in turn, to stand up and tell the room a little bit about ourselves, can you imagine that? I heard several intakes of breath around me at the horror, a big butch man who was seated opposite me turned wan, someone called Jenny stood up first and muttered something, when it was my turn, I was about the 4th, I stood up, said my name and then something took over me I turned to the course leader or whatever they are called and said IF I WANT TO GO PUBLIC, I'LL PUT AN ADVERT IN THE PAPER! It got a laugh and a round of applause and a wink from the butch man opposite, the course leader asked the group if they all felt the same, YES GET ON WITH IT! They had me down as a trouble causer.
ReplyDeleteI love you, Mitzi! We are cut from very similar cloth... Jx
DeleteIf you and Mitzi are cut from similar cloth, I want a couple of yards to make a frock.
Delete"Make me a Mu-Mu"... Jx
DeleteBetween you and Mitzi there should be enough for an entire wardrobe. I'm happy to provide "colourful" trimming.
ReplyDeleteThe Mu-Mu may turn out to be a ballgown, it would appear... Jx
DeleteI wish Mitzi had worked in my office! I recall the health and safety commandment walking around our office putting hazard tape around all objects he thought could cause danger - like files that were on top of cabinets and not put away. He'd have done us all a favour if he'd wrapped himself up in the tape.
ReplyDeleteI'm with MJ - I want to tear my hair out at the recollection!
Sx
*commandant!
DeleteSx
There are some people who revel in being jobsworths. HR and H&S are generally the worst... Jx
Delete