'AITA for making a 50-year-old woman cry for not knowing how to use a computer?'

"AITA for making a 50-year-old woman cry for not knowing how to use a computer?"

I am a quality inspector for a factory. I greatly dislike my job, mostly the shift. But I don’t wanna leave my job, so I told my supervisor (Supes for short) I wanted to go to third shift so I can have some semblance of work life balance. So she told me the only way I could go to third shift, is if I trained somebody new for the position, so I can go to third shift. Told myself I would be the best trainer ever.

So the day comes and my trainee arrives, she’s a Hispanic woman in her late 50s, and just for context I am a 28yo woman. I quickly showed her the ropes, and started off slow, and making her first day as smooth as possible. She caught on quickly in spite of the language barrier, things are going so well I told her I would show her how to do paperwork tomorrow.

Well, tomorrow came, and I showed her how to do paperwork. But it was a struggle, because Trainee could understand English words that are said, read English words, but writing English words was a learning curve…ok, so I gave her a notebook so she could write the translated words in Spanish so she could understand.

Then we were supposed to put our paperwork into the computer, so the higher-ups can see what rejects we had for the day. Then Trainee told me that she’s never used a computer before…Okay, I showed her the basics of the computer, and everything she needed to know.

Then I told her to open the audit application. She told me she didn’t know how to open the app on the computer…double click with the mouse… she kept clicking and dragging it. I manifested all the patience of a Buddhist monk to train this woman the rest of the week.

I literally trained this woman on how to write in English, how to use a computer, on top of how to do her job for a whole week. Trainee would get super frustrated with the computer, and tried to ask Supes for another quality job, but Supes told her every quality position in the factory has to use the computer.

Trainee straightened up after that and got more serious about learning the computer. That Friday, I decided to do something nice for her and went to the Mexican restaurant that’s just around the corner, and got her some nachos with steak, chicken, shrimp, fajita style.

It cost $30, but I don’t know, I just felt like doing it to boost her confidence (and because I wanted to share some good A$$ nachos with somebody). Monday came, and Trainee didn’t show up to work. Today, she was there and the first thing my supervisor told me (knowing that she had some difficulties with the computer) was she wanted to know just how much she learned, so she told me to shadow her...

And let her do things herself. If she needed help, remind her what to do, but if she gets frustrated, I can do the task for her. But for the most part just do some shadowing. Okay, cool. Supes turned to her, and gave her the same rundown.

So work started, and as expected, Trainee was doing great with the inspections. Then when she came to the computer, she wanted to make the window smaller since there were Multiple windows we needed to see. So she turned to me and asked for help, I told her to just click and drag the window from the top.

Trainee clicked a button. I instructed her again to click and drag the window from the top, “take your mouse, and click and drag the top of the window." She clicked the same button, then asked me to do it for her. I sighed, and said “OK, just press the square button next to the X.”

She clicked the minimize button. She turned to me and told me that she’s never done this before, but I told her no, we went over this twice last week and I just did it for her, then shadowed her for the rest of the order. While the next order was making its way to us, I talked to my friends, the next thing I know my supervisor was talking to her, and my trainee was in tears crying to Supes.

Supes turned to me and asked what happened. I was in shock and I had no idea WTF was going on, then Supes explained trainee said something about the computer. The first thing I told Supes was she instructed me to NOT help her with the computer, that’s when the trainee said no...

That I’m supposed to train her on the computer, but then Supes told her that I’m not a “computer teacher” and that I was only there to teach her how to do her job. My supervisor turned to me and said clearly there’s been some miscommunication, and sent me to help in another department and she would take over the rest of the training.

I left feeling bad, maybe I did let out a little bit of frustration, but I didn’t yell, didn’t raise my voice, and didn’t treat her like she was stupid. I literally did what my supervisor told me to do. And the more I think about it, the more frustrated I get.

She broke out in tears in front of a bunch of coworkers, went to my supervisor crying, telling her I was mean to her when all that happened was, I didn’t help her like she wanted me to, because of what my supervisor told me. She can do the job, because I trained her in every step with patience for an entire week.

In fact, my supervisor was barely over there the rest of the day while the trainee pretty much did her job by herself. It’s sad that she felt frustrated and cried, but upon doing that, she pretty much nuked my reputation with my coworkers and my supervisor. I know that’s an ice cold thing to say, but I can’t help but be frustrated...

Because I literally taught this woman who’s twice my age how to use a computer, taught her English, bought her food, and the one moment I don’t help her the way she wanted me to she had a meltdown. But she does have the right to her feelings, maybe I am being an ahole. Am I?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

teya72 said:

NTA. You're worried about making an adult cry when she's completely incapable of performing a basic job requirement listed during training? Thats not your problem, that's the supervisors problem for putting an unprepared person in that role.

You followed instructions by telling her which button to press instead of doing it for her that's called delegation, not cruelty. Her inability to operate a computer after being told how is a massive red flag about her fitness for that job entirely. Don't let her weaponize tears to force you to do her work.

inanimatecarbonrob said:

NTA. I’m a librarian and I work with people like this constantly. I won’t spend a week with one person but I will often see the same person over and over again over the course of a couple months or even a year.

The fact is some people just don’t want to learn or can’t learn because of learned helplessness. I try to show and not do it for them and I get constant resistance. You were more patient than I would have been and this is my full time job.

repthe732 said:

NTA. It isn’t your job to teach basic computer literacy. This is something she’ll need to learn on her own time. It sucks that this may cost her the job but if you go against what you’re being told then you may lose your job.

WomanInQuestion said:

NTA - she's massively unqualified for the position she's training for. Not your fault, but that of whomever put her there.

Naive_Personality367 said:

NTA sounds like you were entirely reasonable. Sounds like the situation was tough to handle for everyone involved really.

Lis_Lislley said:

NTA, the woman doesn't know how to minimize a window, you did everything for her, and she still complains and harms you? You have every right to be upset, she's re-entering the job market, she should at least take a basic computer course.