Workshop - a word that has lost it's true meaning

[dave50]

The word 'workshop' should only mean a place where things are manufactured or repaired like a garage or factory. When I hear it used to describe a place where people get together to do or discuss something totally pointless I cringe because I just know it will be something that involves wasting lots of public money.

[craft1948]

ayg..................I'm shocked!!

[FredPuli43]

What has 'shop' got to do with 'photoshop' ?

Must say that 'theatre workshop' sounds like a place where no real work is done but which costs a lot in grants . It sounds like a 'talking shop'.

[askyourgran]

Sorry craft. :p
The idea of a workshop in business is cringeworthy, especially when the group are invited to spend a week orienteering to bond with your workmates. God help us, Martin from accounts is rather large and spotty, and can't run for toffee, and miss laycock from General Advertising will now never live it down that everyone saw her bottom when she came out of the river after falling out of the dinghy. Someone fell down the lift shaft and someone else made a t*t of themselves in the pub. All those things you remember but laugh at them or die of shame yourself when watching them doing their real job.

[craft1948]

Last time I went to a 2 day 'workshop' I ended up running a poker school.

[FredPuli43]

I have always been self-employed so don't know of 'workshops' consisting of 'bonding exercises'. What happens to an employee if they refuse to go on such an exercise, on the grounds that it's a daft idea and they are sufficiently 'bonded' already ?

[craft1948]

I think you get branded a 'non-team player'.............

[karenmac60]

But surely that type of 'teambuilding' workshop is more a private sector thing which means no public money is involved. Any time I've been to a workshop it has been a practical training session where you get to actually try out some of the things involved in whatever you are training in. If people are just sitting about talking then it's called a briefing session (or a meeting!)

[Andyvon]

When I was a patient representative I was often invited to 'workshops'. Generally everyone divides into small groups and discusses various topics. Invariably nothing ever results from such meetings except for dates being set for the next workshops and everyone making sure they claim as much on 'expenses' as possible. I never claim a penny!

After a couple of years I gave up all the meetings as I realised I was wasting my time. I reckoned I had a life to live even if all the clowns at the NHS and councils didn't. They're generally the ones who use terms like 'workshops', 'facilitators', 'chair' or 'chairperson', 'human resources' etc. Having been an employer for many years I just came to the conclusion all those people were jerks.