when coworkers aren't proficient in basic computer skills

[Anonymous]

I work in a field that doesn't require a ton of computer skills, but we need to be able to do things like print reports off of databases, find documents on Google Drive, scan documents and email them and access various online collaboration sites. It's not the primary focus of our job, but it's kind of the admin side to our job.

Some of my coworkers can't or won't do these things. They act like it's speaking a totally different language, and no matter how many times I show them or provide reminders they still don't do it. I am not their boss, and I'm starting to resent the amount of time I have to spend either helping them or doing that part of the job for them when they show up at a meeting and don't have their part done because they couldn't figure out the technology/admin piece.

There is not a lot of formal training for these things, so in some ways I understand but there also has to be some ability and desire to adapt to new things. They just kind of laugh it off and cite their age as the reason why, but I feel like if they're getting paid to do a job then they should be able to do all facets of the job, not just the parts that they are most comfortable with. I would even be ok with being the "tech guru" if the others had more of an expertise in something and could help me out from time to time, but that's not the case either.

We don't have a lot of oversight and are expected to function as a team and take care of things as a team unless there's a really glaring issue. I wouldn't consider this a really glaring issue, but it still is frustrating to me.

Any ideas for how I can approach this?

[Anonymous]

It is a glaring issue if it means they can't do their part of the presentation. Perhaps you could ask your supervisor to provide training on these issues to everyone?

I sympathize. I have several former colleagues, now my subordinates, like this. They're in their 70s and simply cannot seem to learn any computer skills beyond the most basic, and while that is sufficient for the substantive work we do, it has started to create problems as we update our systems and they can't retain the new information. Things like losing briefs because they can't figure out how to save them, problems filing briefs because they can't figure out how to email them, not inputting edits because the edits are provided electronically rather than hard copy, etc. I used to help them out a lot and some of the other younger employees did as well, but now I am the office manager and I just don't have the time. I review 30-page briefs electronically and that's how it is. I am not providing hand-written edits on complex stuff. Etc. Honestly, I've more or less given up. Their substantive work is outstanding and their knowledge is unparalleled, so I overlook the tech stuff or factor that in to case assignments. It's a bit annoying but I value their work so the trade-off is worth it at this time.

[Anonymous]

If you value their subject-matter skills, bring in someone to train them. Also if you have any kind of annual review process, then learning to / being able to work with the current office tools should be part of those discussions.

[Anonymous]

Age has nothing to do with. Perhaps they feel it's beneath them, or they've become habituated to your help. How annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you value their subject-matter skills, bring in someone to train them. Also if you have any kind of annual review process, then learning to / being able to work with the current office tools should be part of those discussions.

I am not their boss nor anything close to it. We are all teachers working on the same team. Unfortunately the evaluation system doesn't include anything about tech usage and admin would have no clue that it's an issue anyway.

It's more of a day to day annoyance and a time suck on my end. For instance, we all agree to bring data reports printed off of a portal to our meeting to be able to analyze the data or reorganize groups. We get to the meeting and 3 out of 5 people actually have the reports. The other 2 say they couldn't figure out how to get to the portal, or just say that it didn't work when they tried (user error). So then we have to spend time during the meeting getting the reports for the 2 people who didn't bring them. Then of course that uses a chunk of our meeting time so we have to find an additional time to meet in order to actually go over the data. They don't ask for help prior to the meeting or deadline, but they should know how to do these things themselves nevertheless considering it is a part of our job even if it is a small part. They have attended all of the voluntary trainings offered and still can't figure it out.

-OP

[Anonymous]

I work in a data intensive office. We're supposed to be able to use a variety of programs for analysis and program to a degree. A lot of this stuff you're just expected to teach yourself. I'm not that smart and I figured it out.

Three people in my office, who I'm supposed to lead, are basically computer illiterate. They can't follow any sort of instruction or figure out anything on their own that's technical in nature. For them to do anything, they need a step by step guide to follow. They don't understand that if it's that clear cut, I can just write a program to do that.

I spent hours providing training but they're not motivated to learn. I've trained other staff and they are highly successful.

Then they will bitch about not receiving "training" (which I think they mean a classroom style type deal) and then once they get the option, complain about having to take it. They insinuate that it's unfair that I am "good" at computers, but I explain to them I just researched and fooled around with stuff until I understood it. That concept is alien to them.

I just automated that part that they'd be assigned to do. My supervisor doesn't care as long as it gets done.

Horrible for morale. But who cares, right? It's government work! Your tax dollars at work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you value their subject-matter skills, bring in someone to train them. Also if you have any kind of annual review process, then learning to / being able to work with the current office tools should be part of those discussions.

I am not their boss nor anything close to it. We are all teachers working on the same team. Unfortunately the evaluation system doesn't include anything about tech usage and admin would have no clue that it's an issue anyway.

It's more of a day to day annoyance and a time suck on my end. For instance, we all agree to bring data reports printed off of a portal to our meeting to be able to analyze the data or reorganize groups. We get to the meeting and 3 out of 5 people actually have the reports. The other 2 say they couldn't figure out how to get to the portal, or just say that it didn't work when they tried (user error). So then we have to spend time during the meeting getting the reports for the 2 people who didn't bring them. Then of course that uses a chunk of our meeting time so we have to find an additional time to meet in order to actually go over the data. They don't ask for help prior to the meeting or deadline, but they should know how to do these things themselves nevertheless considering it is a part of our job even if it is a small part. They have attended all of the voluntary trainings offered and still can't figure it out.

-OP

Now I get it....teachers. When I was a teacher, I had colleagues who really didn't know how to send email. I remember one freaking out because her computer had suddenly died....I wiggled the mouse. They also went to all the voluntary trainings - those must not be very good, because they didn't help my colleagues either. The only solution is retirement. I will say one thing, though - if that's your biggest problem with your colleagues and you don't have a principal breathing down your neck constantly, then I would consider you lucky.

[Anonymous]

I was shocked to learn that the treasurer of our HOA doesn't know how to use Excel even in it's most basic function. She was tracking stuff in a notebook, and guess what, she was missing things and adding incorrectly.

She works at the IDB! How do you not use excel ever at A BANK?!

[Anonymous]

Are you a fed? I would talk to their manager and say that you'd like it if they could do some computer courses. We sent our secretary to the basic excel course 3x before some of it finally stuck.

Also, I would stop doing your coworker's work and stop showing them how to do things. I have a 70+ year old coworker whose timecards I did weekly. I thought I was being nice and helpful, but I heard him bragging about how he gets millenials to do all his work. Nope. I'm not a doormat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you value their subject-matter skills, bring in someone to train them. Also if you have any kind of annual review process, then learning to / being able to work with the current office tools should be part of those discussions.

I am not their boss nor anything close to it. We are all teachers working on the same team. Unfortunately the evaluation system doesn't include anything about tech usage and admin would have no clue that it's an issue anyway.

It's more of a day to day annoyance and a time suck on my end. For instance, we all agree to bring data reports printed off of a portal to our meeting to be able to analyze the data or reorganize groups. We get to the meeting and 3 out of 5 people actually have the reports. The other 2 say they couldn't figure out how to get to the portal, or just say that it didn't work when they tried (user error). So then we have to spend time during the meeting getting the reports for the 2 people who didn't bring them. Then of course that uses a chunk of our meeting time so we have to find an additional time to meet in order to actually go over the data. They don't ask for help prior to the meeting or deadline, but they should know how to do these things themselves nevertheless considering it is a part of our job even if it is a small part. They have attended all of the voluntary trainings offered and still can't figure it out.

-OP

Schedule a pre-meeting review 3 days before the real meeting. Ask everyone, including any admin that you can get to come, to show up with their documents. When the 3 people that do have them show up, say thanks, I've got what I need from you. For the other 2, ask what the issue is and how you can assist. When they say they don't know how, offer to walk them step by step through the process and ask them to take notes so that next month they can do this on their own. The admin can observe that the 2 people did not have the information available and that you showed them what to do.

3 days later, have the productive meeting with all information available. Next month rinse and repeat and hopefully, the tech unsavvy people will get the message.

Yes, this is a PIA for you. But 30 min spent showing someone how to do something is worth the effort in the long run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was shocked to learn that the treasurer of our HOA doesn't know how to use Excel even in it's most basic function. She was tracking stuff in a notebook, and guess what, she was missing things and adding incorrectly.

She works at the IDB! How do you not use excel ever at A BANK?!

Having worked there, I am truly not surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a glaring issue if it means they can't do their part of the presentation. Perhaps you could ask your supervisor to provide training on these issues to everyone?

I sympathize. I have several former colleagues, now my subordinates, like this. They're in their 70s and simply cannot seem to learn any computer skills beyond the most basic, and while that is sufficient for the substantive work we do, it has started to create problems as we update our systems and they can't retain the new information. Things like losing briefs because they can't figure out how to save them, problems filing briefs because they can't figure out how to email them, not inputting edits because the edits are provided electronically rather than hard copy, etc. I used to help them out a lot and some of the other younger employees did as well, but now I am the office manager and I just don't have the time. I review 30-page briefs electronically and that's how it is. I am not providing hand-written edits on complex stuff. Etc. Honestly, I've more or less given up. Their substantive work is outstanding and their knowledge is unparalleled, so I overlook the tech stuff or factor that in to case assignments. It's a bit annoying but I value their work so the trade-off is worth it at this time.

Talk to your boss about online training for your co-workers or for the entire team. Northstar have some really great online courses that are step by step by step, starting with how to turn your computer on if needed.

[Anonymous]

I would be annoyed by this behavior. In my experience, it was women who were basically spoiled princesses. In college in the late 1980s I had a Brother typewriter/word processor on my desk when most of the girls in my dorm were still handwriting their papers. One girl on my hall was assigned a paper that the teacher required to be typed. She came to my room and paid me (I accepted, not so much for the money but to be agreeable) to type it because she announced, “I don’t do manual labor.”

Another instance was my SIL, who “retired” at age 30, needed her daughter’s boarding school application typed. I typed it and was amused by her essay about how much she loved name brands, especially Ralph Lauren. She didn’t get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you value their subject-matter skills, bring in someone to train them. Also if you have any kind of annual review process, then learning to / being able to work with the current office tools should be part of those discussions.

I am not their boss nor anything close to it. We are all teachers working on the same team. Unfortunately the evaluation system doesn't include anything about tech usage and admin would have no clue that it's an issue anyway.

It's more of a day to day annoyance and a time suck on my end. For instance, we all agree to bring data reports printed off of a portal to our meeting to be able to analyze the data or reorganize groups. We get to the meeting and 3 out of 5 people actually have the reports. The other 2 say they couldn't figure out how to get to the portal, or just say that it didn't work when they tried (user error). So then we have to spend time during the meeting getting the reports for the 2 people who didn't bring them. Then of course that uses a chunk of our meeting time so we have to find an additional time to meet in order to actually go over the data. They don't ask for help prior to the meeting or deadline, but they should know how to do these things themselves nevertheless considering it is a part of our job even if it is a small part. They have attended all of the voluntary trainings offered and still can't figure it out.

-OP

I realize the above is just an example, but if the issue is just turning up with their own copies, I would bring enough copies for everyone / pull the data they were supposed to pull. You shouldn't have to but it's the least work for you and they won't learn.

If they have to generate work themselves, that's harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would be annoyed by this behavior. In my experience, it was women who were basically spoiled princesses. In college in the late 1980s I had a Brother typewriter/word processor on my desk when most of the girls in my dorm were still handwriting their papers. One girl on my hall was assigned a paper that the teacher required to be typed. She came to my room and paid me (I accepted, not so much for the money but to be agreeable) to type it because she announced, “I don’t do manual labor.”

Another instance was my SIL, who “retired” at age 30, needed her daughter’s boarding school application typed. I typed it and was amused by her essay about how much she loved name brands, especially Ralph Lauren. She didn’t get in.

Hilarious!