Onboarding Habits We Ought to Quit

In 1987 I took a summer job in a medical supplies distribution warehouse. My responsibility was mainly “picking.” I assembled and prepared daily orders for delivery to in-home patients. I remember arriving for the first day on the job feeling uneasy in a strange environment — I’d never been in a warehouse before. After filling out paperwork that I didn’t really understand, I trailed the warehouse manager around while he quickly ran me through the routine. He used a lot of jargon, gave me no chance to ask questions, and assured me the easiest way to figure things out would be to get busy. I was terrified every day thereafter that I’d pick the wrong sized syringe or that I’d not properly clean an IV pump. But I was supposed to figure things out by doing, or so I was told. By the time my 10 weeks ended, I’d never felt even a little bit comfortable or confident at that job.