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My opinion is that virtual training sucks. It's much easier to do it in person. It also doesn't hurt to meet your colleagues.
Virtual training for a skilled labor job would be tough (ie: plumber, electrician, etc.). Virtual training for someone who's on a computer and/or phone all day? Piece of cake and I've received and given that type of training dozens of times in the last 15 years. I would not be at all comfortable with someone in my personal space....be that an office or a small cube.....breathing down my neck in that manner. No thank you.
Virtual training for a skilled labor job would be tough (ie: plumber, electrician, etc.). Virtual training for someone who's on a computer and/or phone all day? Piece of cake and I've received and given that type of training dozens of times in the last 15 years. I would not be at all comfortable with someone in my personal space....be that an office or a small cube.....breathing down my neck in that manner. No thank you.
And often times it's not the mode in which it's delivered that matters most, it's the person who's delivering the training that matters. Some people are good at doing the job, but aren't very good trainers or teachers.
I can hop on a Teams/Zoom call, share my screen, and walk through a scenario with someone I'm training or who is training me. They can even take over whatever is on my screen and they can drive. I fail to see how this is much different or worse than if someone is standing over my shoulder showing me how to do something. Just because something is different from how you've done it doesn't make it worse.
What's actually worse about training, whether virtually or in person, is when you get someone who is so proficient in what they do, that they forget what it's like to learn something from scratch. So they fly through it and expect that you've captured everything that you need in order to do it yourself. That's just not how learning works for most people.
And often times it's not the mode in which it's delivered that matters most, it's the person who's delivering the training that matters. Some people are good at doing the job, but aren't very good trainers or teachers.
I can hop on a Teams/Zoom call, share my screen, and walk through a scenario with someone I'm training or who is training me. They can even take over whatever is on my screen and they can drive. I fail to see how this is much different or worse than if someone is standing over my shoulder showing me how to do something. Just because something is different from how you've done it doesn't make it worse.
What's actually worse about training, whether virtually or in person, is when you get someone who is so proficient in what they do, that they forget what it's like to learn something from scratch. So they fly through it and expect that you've captured everything that you need in order to do it yourself. That's just not how learning works for most people.
It is slower. There was an intern that was trying to use instant messaging/chats to ask one of the more experienced employees how to do something, and they were going back and forth. I stepped in the room and showed the intern how to do it, in about 1/3 the time it would have taken. The big supporters of long-term WFH seem to deny this effect, but it is very real. You don't realize how inefficient the collaboration is when you don't have the in-person meetings to compare to.
It is slower. There was an intern that was trying to use instant messaging/chats to ask one of the more experienced employees how to do something, and they were going back and forth. I stepped in the room and showed the intern how to do it, in about 1/3 the time it would have taken. The big supporters of long-term WFH seem to deny this effect, but it is very real. You don't realize how inefficient the collaboration is when you don't have the in-person meetings to compare to.
False dichotomy. You're comparing trying to figure something out over text messaging/chat to real-time communication, which can be replicated through teleconference software like Teams and Zoom. Your intern could have just as easily picked up the phone, did a screen share, and had the individual walk her through or show her by taking over her screen, but instead chose a path of typing back and forth which is naturally a slower process.
It's not an efficiency thing as much as people not better exploiting the tools they have before them. If you had a large yard over a few acres, for instance, you could opt out of mowing it because doing it with a manual push mower would take too long. Or you could do it efficiently with a powered riding mower. If you're using the wrong tools for the job, then of course it's going to be a royal PITA.
Again, this tends to be a more inherent problem with older generations versus those who grew up with these technologies in their day-to-day life. The technology to do these things efficiently exists; just because you opt out of using them does not mean your problem exists for everyone else. For instance, not going to work because you don't want to buy a car and it's too far of a walk is not a very good excuse not to go to work. The technology exists for you to get to work quicker and easier; just because you don't want to use it doesn't mean you have a valid excuse for not getting to work.
It is slower. There was an intern that was trying to use instant messaging/chats to ask one of the more experienced employees how to do something, and they were going back and forth. I stepped in the room and showed the intern how to do it, in about 1/3 the time it would have taken. The big supporters of long-term WFH seem to deny this effect, but it is very real. You don't realize how inefficient the collaboration is when you don't have the in-person meetings to compare to.
Our salvation is that we basically have the same crew we went home with. We furloughed one person, got another furloughed person who had been on another team, then that person left. We haven't lost anyone critical.
There are now eleven people, including myself, reporting to my manager. Of these, 4/11 are over 60 - one is 64, two are 63, and the other is early 60s. There are two more who are over 55.
I'm on an immediate team of four. I'm the only one under 55.
I can't even get one of the people on my team, who lives a half mile away from the office, to come in and meet the new guy.
My manager met him in the office Monday morning. As far as I know, she hasn't been back to see him since. The issue here, aside from the obvious deal of a new hire sitting in a virtually empty office and not getting good training, is the guy doesn't feel like he's getting the support he needs from management or just basic friendliness from colleagues. It's easy to get discouraged in that environment.
Strangely enough, often the people who get the least done are the ones who think they are the hardest working.
Exactly. My most productive days are 7.5 hours of daydreaming, surfing the internet, pacing around and drinking coffee... interspersed with 30 seconds of flash-of-insight, followed by 29.5 minutes of gesticulating in front of a white-board, pontificating and telling obscene jokes. That might launch 200 manhours of a team's work... at which point, I fade back to surfing the internet, picking my noise, or if eager to multitask - surfing the internet while picking my nose.
I can't do my "job" unless the team is physically in the office, ready to file into the conference-room to watch my interpretive dance in front of the white-board.
The issue here, aside from the obvious deal of a new hire sitting in a virtually empty office and not getting good training, is the guy doesn't feel like he's getting the support he needs from management or just basic friendliness from colleagues. It's easy to get discouraged in that environment.
He very likely could be here at this forum asking how long he should stick around before he looks for another job.
When they forced us in 3 days a week
PRE-COVID I worked a total of 4 hours of actual productivity per day and people took SEVERAL WEEKS to do something which now takes days. I now average 6 hours of productivity daily in WFH.
As it is, we're understaffed. So when the exodus comes + Back to Office Bullying we'll probably get collectively 50% less productive. But I guess the Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (Derivatives) are worth it.
I would go back to keep my job if COVID were still not circulating, but I won't risk my health anytime soon. So I think the "Great Resignation" includes involuntary Resignations due to COVID risks as well.
It is slower. There was an intern that was trying to use instant messaging/chats to ask one of the more experienced employees how to do something, and they were going back and forth. I stepped in the room and showed the intern how to do it, in about 1/3 the time it would have taken. The big supporters of long-term WFH seem to deny this effect, but it is very real. You don't realize how inefficient the collaboration is when you don't have the in-person meetings to compare to.
I suppose it depends what task it is and the profession or job function. Personally I have had no trouble teaching our interns over the phone and screen sharing. We got rave reviews from our interns compared to other teams. The difference is likely we simply structured the tasks for our interns more thoroughly.
People who are reactive and feed off others energy will struggle with WFH. People like myself who are methodical and have technical jobs will actually perform better.
I scheduled 1:1s with my interns and established clear achievable objectives. I removed any tasks that were too advanced or ambiguous. For our job function the ability to be resourceful and conduct solitary research and brainstorm workarounds is a must. There is not much I can teach you hanging over your shoulder vs. over the phone. This is not a Sales job where strong body language can save you not knowing the tech constraints and limitations
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