Training woes

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MAK

MAK

Senior Member
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Massachusetts-Boston
I have to share this with someone.
I've been working for a low voltage company for about the past four years. The owners of the company have always had a problem hiring and keeping quality help (nothing new there:roll:). This past year we have gone through 6 employees all washing out for various reasons (no work ethic, compulsive lying, stealing, etc...).

They just hired another guy about 2 weeks ago and I have been the one training him. For the past 2 weeks been having problems with the new guy not listening to my directions. I tell him "go do this" he answers "yes" and stands there staring at me. I'll ask him if he heard me and or if he understands what I asked of him, he says yes and eventually he will perform the task.

For the past 2 weeks I have been getting quite frustrated with him and find that I need to raise my voice with him more often than not to get production out of him. Finally I called one of the owners to let him know what I was dealing with and that I thought this guy might be "out to lunch". The owner tells me "Oh I forgot to tell you employee x is somewhat deaf and he hasn't been wearing his hearing aid". Owner says he thinks it's strange that employee x did not reveal that to me but that the employee maybe hesitant to share that due to past experiences with coworkers taunting him.

I am relieved that I know what the source of the problem is with my communication with him but I am uncertain how to approach him about this. Should I leave it to those that hired him. The employee is about 20 years older than me and seems to be a nice guy. He is not so deaf that I can not have a conversation with him but I do have to repeat instructions many times to get him going.
Any thoughts you would share on how to tactfully address this would be very much appreciated.
 
You could start by making him wear his hearing aids. He's no good to you if he's not wearing the hearing aides that he otherwise owns but won't wear. If he couldn't hear, even with the help of hearing aids, that would be a different story. That isn't the case here, however. He owns them and for whatever reason won't wear them. That would be like me trying to work without glasses or contacts.
 
Ask the owner how to handle the situation. It may not be your place to deal with the worker on physical capabilities. Maybe co. policy allows you. Either way it needs to be dealt with. It seems this is the only problem you are having and once everybody is on the same page rather than on edge (he may feel overly insecure or not even realize that he is not understanding you to the extent he is), that he may become a good asset to your workplace.
 
I dont know if this will work with you but have you thought a basic sign langunge it dont have to be very fancy but one way or other he can get the " picture " what you try to tell him what to do next.

Just a thought.

most of the guys whom work with me i useally give them a head up and they work out pretty good so far without much issue.

Merci, Marc
 
Tell the guy, I know you have a problem with your hearing and you may not want to wear your hearing aid. But what if I got in trouble and needed help in a emergency I need to be able to depend on you. Don't tell him that your tired of repeating instructions make him feel that you need him. If others he has worked with have picked on him about his hearing in the past he probably thinks you will also. If you make him see that this is not the case he may turn out to be good help and you will have accomplished what you really wanted in the first place.
 
ceb58 said:
Tell the guy, I know you have a problem with your hearing and you may not want to wear your hearing aid. But what if I got in trouble and needed help in a emergency I need to be able to depend on you. Don't tell him that your tired of repeating instructions make him feel that you need him. If others he has worked with have picked on him about his hearing in the past he probably thinks you will also. If you make him see that this is not the case he may turn out to be good help and you will have accomplished what you really wanted in the first place.
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Nice delicate approach.

Based on your location, can we call you Robert D? :grin:
 
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