Lost in bureaucracy

I felt like smashing the computer as I failed my third attempt at the OH&S (occupational health and safety) quiz teaching me how to lift items properly. I raced to complete this module (one of the ten+ required for my new teaching role), before the deadline, while balancing the many tasks of a new job.

I kept mixing-up the sequence for ‘lifting heavy objects’, unable to correctly match the words.

Was it to prepare, position, assess, observe, and lift?????... I knew I should have watched the video (haha).

The irony of spending half an hour doing written quizzes on ‘how to correctly lift a container’ is indicative of the strange nature of our society.

It would likely take less than five minutes in person to show me how to lift properly, and would be both humane, and simply good pedagogy. A thirteen minute video followed by a multiple choice test, without even lifting anything seems a bit like ‘checking a box for liability’.

Bureaucracies have lost their way.

Bring humanity back into onboarding, safety or any other skills necessary to learn. Take the time to walk people through the process, allowing time for meaningful learning to occur. If the task is worth learning, then take the time to teach it right.

• Now that’s a peak ethos.