People refusing to participate in group discussions

I hate online training. Most training is crap. In my three decades of work, I could probably count on my fingers the number of genuinely useful and good training I have done. None of those have been online. Its a really poor way to train people.

In particular, online training seems to have encouraged people to churn out loads of one or two hour training sessions which are of very little to no use.

Be grateful you don’t have to work with them. I’d just say next time I’ve done last 2 I’ll let someone else have a turn and say nothing.

It’s a hackneyed and not particularly useful method of teaching, though, isn’t it? Every bloody course you go on, split into groups, have a performative chat, feedback to the main group.

Does it teach you anything you didn’t already know?

At least doing it remotely you don’t have to write on the stupid flip-chart paper with coloured marker pens.

They do it because they don’t think we’ve got the attention span to just listen while they tell us what we need to know and they have to chop it up to keep us entertained. Just tell me. Or better still, send me the information and I’ll read it.

Lets be honest, no one but the uber, uber extroverts likes all this wanky team stuff. No one wants to do it. It's 2026. I agree with a previous poster that wanky team bs should be consigned to the dustbin of history. If enough people don't take part, hopefully it soon will. Being silent would be me doing my part to end it.

My workplace is OBSESSED with breakout rooms for every training session or team meeting. It's like they have to tick a 'group interaction' box without even considering other methods that people might get more from. I just want to be given the information, I honestly don't care what Pam from finance thinks x policy is. Just tell me what it is!

Alternatively, you're given two minutes, the first 15s is the room setting up. Then you introduce yourself to a relative stranger, and that takes another 30s. Then you have one minute to answer the question and agree how to summarise it.

Breakout rooms are a crap method for online engagement.

This.
I used to think I could take an interest in anything, naturally having a lively and curious mind.
Except sports.
I now have to add 'Except group work during workplace training'.

It’s pathetic.

But I also really dislike being put in small groups on an exceedingly boring training day and given a stupidly long amount of time to do a mindlessly simple exercise with 4 other terminally bored people and feed back to the group like you’re all in primary school.

You do it, and you feed back to the group, etc, because you’re a grown up. But you’re all basically just waiting for the day to be over.

Don't speak up and volunteer next time....or say "Oh, I'll let someone else take a turn this time as it always seems to be me, then make no further contributions".

I can't stand people who don't pull their weight in group work, or refuse to do anything outside of their comfort zone. They are happy to be passengers and let other people do the heavy lifting. Just have to hope your contribution is noted and serves you well.

Ive done similar training (not online) and after twice being the spokesperson I told the group I would stand down to give someone else the opportunity. I did not wish to be accused of dominating every group. It was only with great reluctance that someone else stepped up and I had to support them.

The problem with always volunteering is that you can be accused of "loving the sound of your own voice" and unfairly so. This happened to me at uni tutorials with one lecturer who did not like mature students. I told her that its not my fault the others dont bother to do the reading and therefore have nothing to say. However I will absent myself every third week to give all those shy folks space to express themselves. I often wonder if they all sat in silence in the sessions I did not show up.

Great. It's these bloody fake people who prevented me from getting a job with CS, because they were able to produce all the wanky prescription phrases, self congratulation and dishonest crap about themselves at interview, to make themselves look wonderful. If you're modest, honest, natural and completely being yourself, you don't stand a chance. Bitter? Yes. It's all that's wrong with the interview process. Then you end up with these fucktards who cant actually do the job, like OP describes. Pathetic.

I hate breakout rooms. Just a bunch of people (or black screens) staring gormlessly so I end up talking like a mad person and everyone probably leaves thinking I’m sort of crazy work extrovert, but I just absolutely hate the awkward sitting in silence! My heart sinks when I hear ‘breakout rooms’ cos I know I’ll probably be the only fucker speaking.

Oh this is so annoying. I had it at uni. I don't like speaking out either but you suck it up and get on with it don't you (disabilities aside where I appreciate it may genuinely be too difficult).

Is it being assessed? I’ve done similar online training with the civil service (not a customer service role though) and your level of involvement was part of the assessment. If it’s not being assessed then many people will think it’s irrelevant and will sit back and let others lead everything.

‘Breakout rooms’, much like ‘icebreakers’, ‘town halls’, etc etc should be consigned to history.

Send me an email with what I need to know, leave me to read it in peace, and let me get on with my actual work.

That being said, your colleagues sound awful.

Absolutely detest this method. As soon as I hear “I’m going to put you into some breakout rooms” my heart sinks at the thought of being dumped in a room with a group of strangers to “discuss”. I always participate reluctantly to get it over with as soon as possible but there are always people that don’t contribute anything. Pop up on the room don’t even say hello or on the other end of the spectrum dominate the entire discussion. Seems like a massive waste of time especially if the people in the room don’t even discuss the question and go off on a tangent about their kids or their holiday or whatever.

I have absolutely no problem with opening my mouth (sometimes something that might on a good day be deemed relatively intelligent comes out, too). I also have no problem with encouraging others to speak up, rather than hog attention or totally dominate a discussion.

I fucking hate breakout rooms.

You either get absolute silence, people off on breaks/answering the ten incredibly urgent emails that have come through where the manager is complaining that you aren't responding straight away - or you get one or two people who clearly haven't listened to or learned anything but have decided they're in charge and won't take comments from anybody else. And if what they've decided is the outcome is what is going to be said, I'm not going to be putting my name (or voice) to that.

Yes agree that it is pathetic, childish and annoying. But also it doesn’t really matter- they don’t want to feed back and it’s no big deal. Unless they grow and develope they are unlikely to build a career but that’s their problem

if everyone was competent where would us doers get out promotions from? 😂

I think it is not understood how excruciating it is for some people to talk in front of a group, confidence comes in many disguises and so does lacking confidence

no one should feel they have to and others are always willing to step up and there will always been one that just loves the sound of their own voice

It is often the biggest moaners that don't speak up about processes etc when they have the opportunity. A bit like people that don't vote but are forever moaning about the state of the country.

I’m naturally introverted and quite shy but always end up being one of the first to “cave” and take my turn in this situation- not wanting to do it just isn’t good enough and a bit pathetic

This sort of shit is always annoying, but I just file it under "Things to feel superior about and make sure gets noticed by my manager".

At university in seminars, I was off one week, then the other students were happy to see me back. "Oh, good. It was rubbish last week because it was just him talking the whole seminar".

Well fucking talk then, dumb dumbs.

Very odd behaviour, I agree. Social anxiety? Bosses present? Fear of being mocked or criticized? I’m wondering about the culture in your organisation.