Diary: Space - the final frontier

Every now and then I have work against the misconception that to train is simply to stand up and tell. It is a very common belief amongst managers and sadly even crops up in the odd trainer. Like most organisations we are working as efficiently as possible, it’s defending my definition of “possible” that is taking up my time at the moment. Two issues have arisen. We have a range of call handling courses designed to build up from basic call structure to dealing with highly emotional customers. I was asked to schedule the first of these for the afternoon of the first day for new starters. I pride myself on meeting all my employer requests but the thought of trying to take slightly bewildered new recruits through intensive training while they are still getting to grips with where their desk is too much! The other aspect of concern is where we train. Office consolidation has swallowed up rooms and we have just had one of our training rooms commandeered for other purposes. We are assured that this is short term but no leeway is being given on expectations for other training being completed. Exactly where it can take place is still being argued over.