Any printer training session lasting over ten minutes should be illegal. I should know. Not only did the one I was required to attend at my Zurich office last over three hours, but it was also in Swiss German. At first I was optimistic.
“It will be a good opportunity to practice your Swiss German listening skills,” I told myself.
Since my Swiss German comprehension has about a 10-20 per cent hit rate (in comparison to my High German at about 80 per cent), I could understand that the trainer was discussing how the printer converted RGB colour to CMYK but that’s where that insight ended.
And also where my patience with printer training and Swiss German stopped too. And unfortunately, at this point, I still had 2.5 hours of Xerox education to go.
I’m amazed sometimes that by not understanding much of anything, I can function just as well as someone with 100% comprehension. Things discussed, no matter what the language, seem to be about 10% information and 90% waste.
So it was sort of amazing that 90% of the stuff about the Xerox printer was even being discussed at all.
But then again, the Swiss are apparently as thorough about printer training as they are about cleaning the streets (I mean, the poor street cleaner didn’t even get Easter Sunday off in my town).
So not only did I have an opportunity to ooh and ahh over toner cartridges, I even got to learn about the part of the printer where the toner “waste” ends up. And I touched it. (Try not to get jealous now).
Nevertheless, trying to pay attention to a three-hour lecture when you don’t understand much is not to be underestimated in its ability to exhaust. Therefore, the most exciting moments of the session were when an equally bored colleague would quickly check his email, as seeing what was in his inbox was at least somewhat more amusing than a guy talking about preventing paper jams.
Anyhow, one thing is certain. Three hours to learn about a printer is excessive in any language, not to mention one that’s not yet yours.
The last hour was especially excruciating so I went home soon after that, too tired to do much of anything else but sleep on the couch and try desperately to dream about something other than beautiful colour copies.
Tags: boring learning sessions, jealousy, miseducation, printers, swiss german, toner
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Ever wondered why the Swiss do a 42-hour week compared to 36 in Europe? Do they do more work? No - they just work more slowly. I too have experienced the technology training - 2 hours for a stamping machine I’d never use. I once had a Swiss office job. On the first day the boss gave me some work. At the end of the day I said I’d finished and asked what was next. After a spluttering coughing fit, the boss said that he’d given me a week’s work. After a few week’s of this (and after upsetting all of my Swiss colleagues for working too hard), I quit in search of a more challenging job with a British company.
Don’t you think this is a bit offensive? I reckon Swiss work quite efficient compared to other cultures. Our standards are quite high, we are not satisfied with work, which is not fully done. That’s also why some American companies prefer to get engine pieces manufactured in Switzerland, because it simply will work. I don’t know where you are from, but your view seems arrogant.
I’m surprised the training was not in high German. My instructors usually ask if everyone understand swiss German. But as you said, 10% informations, 90% waste. I remember staff meetings with lots of IT-babbeling when I started to work. I didn’t understand a word and felt tired afterwards. The meetings were skipped after a while, but I still have meetings with coworkers and a 10%/90% rate. Hope you recovered quickly
Max, I’m Swiss.
Get over yourself Max. Switzerland is nice and all, but it is can be just ridiculous a lot of the times. Three hours for a printer - just plain stupid. My wife volunteered to help paint a house here - it required being instructed by a painting professional. Do Swiss people not know how to use a brush and a roller? Again, just plain stupid. Had I gone to do this I would not have listened and would have let the ‘professional’ know it too. The Swiss are capable of doing good things and do do good things, but if I were looking for an employee, I would take Lynx over you Max. While I am on the soapbox - what is with the Harry Potter witches brooms used over here?
This blog is ruffling a few tail feathers lately… I guess that next there will be a movement to try and vote the Swiss out of Switzerland due to their unacceptable behaviour… isn’t that how it works in a liberal and democratic society???
Each to their own, but if I had trouble understanding the Swiss German I would have asked the instructor to speak high German. Presumably they try to instruct so well to reduce breakage and support costs - not such a stupid thing to do, if they can make the training interesting.
Ah, Switzerland. I lived in the Zurich area for 13+ years and have been back in the States for 23 years now, and what amuses me is that anyone thinks the Swiss will ever change. Fugeddaboutit! Love it or leave it.