Do you have to do mandatory training/orientation for work?

Business-academics sometimes try to estimate how much time is lost overall by needless meetings and e-post exchanges. Obviously it will vary considerably, but the totals are staggering.

A girl-friend used to work for a major organisation with sites scattered around the UK. She booked hire-cars for business-trips, of which most were only meetings, and was forever being pushed late on a Friday afternoon to find a car for early Monday morning.

I used to tell her that most meetings are or should be arranged days if not weeks beforehand, might be "important" but not "urgent", and the car request is late only by forgetfulness or procrastination.


Some years ago I attended a public presentation by its three Directors, of an ambitious but unfeasible plan to build a new, commercial tourist-attraction railway locally. It took them a good 10 minutes to make their computer and projector work at the start, but come on, they were a former Ffestiniog Railway manager, a PPE-stockist - and an industrial IT specialist.


I once had to attend what was meant to be a training-session for some stores-control software the company had bought. You expect software training gives you each a monitor, mouse and keyboard connected to the computer operated by the tutor. Not this time! As we reported back to Personnel*, it was a waste of time. The only computer in the room was the "tutor"'s lap-top, and he merely demonstrated the programme. It was just a long drawn-out sales talk.


*[i]Personnnel[/i]. Yes they did use that ugly term "Human Resources". As with ghastly titles like "Chief [cliche?] Officer", who invents this pretentious clap-trap, and why? In this case, rather unpleasant clap-trap too. I refused, and always addressed internal mail to "[i]Personnnel[/i], Room ...."

Fantastic management. I can relate. I think I've seen those monkeys from both viewpoints

This is very common where I work too, sometimes these mandatory meetings are a waste of time but they do take you out of work, sometimes we have conferences that are mandatory to attend, these are the ones I enjoy cause they're usually held out of state at some hotel resort, everything is paid for even the room so I get to spend quality time with my work wife.

Been to more than my share of them. Overtime pay though. 🤷🏻‍♂️