Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Training cover — ahead of mat leave STRANGE REQUEST.

68 replies

Rosefer · 09/08/2021 08:11

I will be on mat leave in the new year, my cover is currently shadowing and has asked to record me. We work remote, and shadowing is normal in the role.
I politely explained I don’t feel comfortable being recorded. She insisted she needs to learn like this and taking notes isn't enough.
She went on to state she wants to learn; the issue is the willingness of whoever wants to teach her.

I am putting in time to assist her and provide her exposure to all aspects of the job. Feeling a little sad and confused about this situation. :(

OP posts:
phishy · 09/08/2021 17:37

She is shit at taking notes but doesn’t want to admit it.

Absolutely do not let her record you.

helpfulperson · 09/08/2021 17:39

Essentially it's just personalised YouTube videos. I understand why you might not want to do it but I don't think it's that odd a request. How old is she?

Pinkstegosaurus · 09/08/2021 17:48

I had this for a work handover once and found it very frustrating as it began to take time away from the actual work I still had to complete. I was requested to create personalised screen recordings of multiple basic functions, copious notes on processes and clients, indexes etc. I wouldn’t have minded but most of this information was already readily available, she just didn’t like the format. I complained to my manager in the end and she agreed that it was taking too much time away from tasks that needed completing.

Nietzschethehiker · 09/08/2021 18:04

In my industry this is very standard but in fairness we record our work on a daily basis (not as a verification that we aren't skiving but its a marking and quality requirement ) so I do recognise this wouldn't seem remotely odd to me.

I would say that given the line of work I'm in we have a particular knowledge of different learning styles. It's not an emotive issue at all, some people learn from debriefs, some learn from written procedures , some from recordings. We would be more surprised at an emotive response at feeling unappreciated because its incredibly common to say "I learn better via ....x...y ....z" and the other person just shrugs and says fair enough.

However as said this sort of thing is quite key to what we do so I'm biased.

NoYOUbekind · 09/08/2021 18:05

I think you are being a little unreasonable to be honest. There's a reason YouTube is practically the biggest site in the world - people learn by watching.

I think you need to explore the expectations - if it's a case of hitting record on a zoom session so she has a record, i can't see how that's making more work for you. I agree expecting you to set up scripts etc would be too much extra work, but people learn in all sorts of ways.

Justcallmebebes · 09/08/2021 18:17

Is it like a sales pitch or set script she wants to record or some sort of set procedure? In which case, i can understand her request more

frazzledasarock · 09/08/2021 18:22

Does she not have any experience in the field?

Usually if you’ve got experience and have down similar roles it’s only a matter of learning new processes which all tend to be very similar. Notes should suffice.

Have you suggested she do the tasks and you watch her to see if she’s able to do them yet or do you can supervise and clarify for her anything she’s not yet grasped fully?

I wouldn’t want to be recorded either, could she take screen shots and make a process hand book for herself as she’a shadowing you online?

Travis1 · 09/08/2021 18:26

My colleague and I often open a teams call when we’re sitting next to each other so we can record training. I thought that was pretty standard nowadays

QueenBee52 · 09/08/2021 18:55

@NoYOUbekind

I think you are being a little unreasonable to be honest. There's a reason YouTube is practically the biggest site in the world - people learn by watching.

I think you need to explore the expectations - if it's a case of hitting record on a zoom session so she has a record, i can't see how that's making more work for you. I agree expecting you to set up scripts etc would be too much extra work, but people learn in all sorts of ways.

but OP is not a performing YouTuber 🤣

ViaRia · 09/08/2021 19:06

When doing my handover I suggested recording my demos so that they could refer back to it. So I do think it is a good idea.
However it’s entirely up to you if you are happy to be recorded and I don’t think it is unreasonable to say no. Even if your manager is keen to have sessions recorded… it shouldn’t be expected.

What would have happened if you were doing a handover f2f in the office…? There wouldn’t have been any recordings made and the new person would have had to have taken notes/ practiced/ asked questions until they understood.

The way you’ve described in your OP, I’d be miffed too. It’s like they’re saying ‘I can’t understand what I’ve been hired to do but it is your fault for not allowing recordings’.

PenCreed · 09/08/2021 19:25

At least she asked. I was running a training session a few months ago and some cheeky fucker hit record without asking any of us! I paused the session until he stopped recording. It’s training we do regularly and we want people to freely ask questions, plus recording without permission is incredibly rude.

VimFuego101 · 09/08/2021 19:44

This is fairly normal where I work, we will record training sessions or any type of overview so others can catch up or it can be referred back to later. But an everyday standup type meeting or brief call asking a simple question would be a bit odd to record, and, as a previous poster said, if you record everything you'd be left with a ridiculous amount of audio to listen to and not be able to find the key points. So what type of sessions does she want to record?

QueenBee52 · 09/08/2021 19:51

I'd refuse this request OP.

There is no need for it.. and if she is insisting on a recording, then ask that someone else be available to do the training, you are pregnant and the unnecessary stress is not good for you or the baby ..

🌸

Aprilx · 09/08/2021 20:05

I expect it is quite hard to learn a new role remotely versus sitting beside somebody and learning it as we used to. I think if it is just recording short clips of key processes, it is probably not a bad idea.

I think you are silly to be “sad” or even “disheartened” OP, it is nothing to do with you, it is to do with her learning.

KingdomScrolls · 09/08/2021 20:07

People have different learning styles, if you are training someone you needs to recognise that. It's quite common in my line of work

QueenBee52 · 09/08/2021 20:15

@KingdomScrolls

People have different learning styles, if you are training someone you needs to recognise that. It's quite common in my line of work

but not in OP's line of work..

if you are not comfortable with this... speak out now OP.. you need to think about your stress levels .. don't do this if its making you stressed.. 🌸

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 09/08/2021 20:24

OP what does she want to record you doing

ViaRia · 09/08/2021 20:26

People do have different learning styles but that’s not really for OP to accommodate. If her job was a trainer, then yes, absolutely. But this is a role handover, not a training course, and the new starter needs to put in more effort and stop blaming others.

Imagine being just two weeks in (or however long it has been) at a new job and saying “I do want to learn; the issue is the willingness of whoever wants to teach me.” It’s incredibly rude!

cansu · 09/08/2021 20:34

Just tell her no in writing in an email. Be clear what you have done to help her and that you are happy to continue helping her.

nanbread · 09/08/2021 20:42

A lot of ableist, inflexible attitudes on this thread. Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves.

She's worked out how she best learns / processes information and if you can accommodate that then I think you should.

I don't think you should take this as a criticism of your handover OP, it sounds like you're putting a lot of effort in, but if you can meet her half way why not.

I wonder why you don't want to be recorded?

Could you ask her to record audio only?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 09/08/2021 20:45

Not being comfortable with being recorded, hence saying no isn't an ableist attitudeHmm

Hercisback · 09/08/2021 20:45

This is impossible for anyone to judge because we don't have enough information.

Presumably if you were f2f she'd watch you do a process over and over. However this is a bit awkward online therefore recording it makes more sense.

Rainbowshit · 09/08/2021 20:51

I've been doing loads of handover work recently. Being able to record it on webex has been invaluable.

When a new member of staff started at a really busy peak time I was able to give her the recording rather than spend several hours that I couldn't really spare going over it with her.

AtillatheHun · 09/08/2021 20:51

You can explain it to her and give her a demo and she can then record herself doing it back to you.
That way she has the materials in the format she wants and you are not filmed. It also gives you an immediate opportunity to see if she has taken on board what you are showing her (& there’s filmed evidence of she really can’t get to grips with it). Reasons adjustment for her needs but without putting you in an uncomfortable position or potentially the employer in terms of GDPR and privacy re videos of you

SchrodingersImmigrant · 09/08/2021 20:53

@AtillatheHun

You can explain it to her and give her a demo and she can then record herself doing it back to you. That way she has the materials in the format she wants and you are not filmed. It also gives you an immediate opportunity to see if she has taken on board what you are showing her (& there’s filmed evidence of she really can’t get to grips with it). Reasons adjustment for her needs but without putting you in an uncomfortable position or potentially the employer in terms of GDPR and privacy re videos of you
That's actually great solution
Swipe left for the next trending thread