“What Even Is a VPN?”: Non-Tech Worker Panics Over IT Orders Until Boss Steps In
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How often have you been in an absurd situation but your boss stood beside you?
This tech support employee shares how a coworker couldn’t understand simple tech instructions at work!
What happened next will leave you shocked.
For the fourth time, no, we don’t work on personal devices.
I could regale you with longer stories and anecdotes about this particular user, how they didn’t learn after 4 years the very basics of remote work through COVID. I know the button says ‘Connect’ but that does not mean ‘Connected’.
Before I get more off track,
This is where he explains how everything had been working…
During COVID, many users did not have a way to work from home.
To clarify our WFH situation, we’re an engineering firm. WFH is remoting into your desktop in the office, and these days is a bonus, not the rule.
If you don’t provide your own WFH machine, you’re expected to be in the office.
Mostly older folks. This user was given a desktop, monitor, the necessary gear to remote in. We had to claw it back, and were only able to because it was only Win10 capable.
They had certain rules for everything…
Doesn’t matter how much you pout, user, it doesn’t mean you can hang onto it.
So, user needs a new way to connect in. They end up getting a laptop from a friend, and I help them get setup with the VPN, Remote Desktop, and Teams. This is the extent of work we do on home machines.
Otherwise, we refuse as its not work related and we don’t need to be responsible.
All seems fine until user asks me ‘my friends name still shows, can you remove her so I can use it?’ I ask if there is a problem, nope just wants the name changed.
Cool, as per policy, not doing that, recommend the required steps, what to google, or go find a shop.
Few weeks later, same story, same answers. Personal device, no I cant just do it for you, yes I’m sure I can’t, go find a computer shop.
He did not see that coming…
However, user got tired after the third time asking, and so instead decides to ask my boss. He aggress to help user, as a personal favor since he’s just like that. After he agrees, I hear user lean in closer and lower their voice, saying they asked me three times and I wouldn’t do it.
The nerve of me, right? Thank god, boss backed me up, stating it was policy.
Today, user comes in with their laptop, and is surprised when boss works from home on the bosses work from home day. And yet again ‘I brought it all the way here, Boss said he would do it, can’t you just do it?’
Nope, cant just do it. In fact, all Im just doing is keeping myself from telling you to fuck off in the nicest ways I can think of.
That’s incredible!
I remain polite, remind them of all the things I already have, and that Boss is doing this as a personal favor. ‘Why cant you just do it for me as a favor?
You worked on it before’ Because I don’t want to be potentially responsible for some fuckery you do on that laptop and try to blame me for.
I’m sure this user will be back with yet another routine issue. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ask me about this issue or something directly related in the future.
It did take them 4 years to learn our VPN procedures after all…
That’s truly something!
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But not everybody is a fast learner…
Let’s find out how people on Reddit reacted to this one.
This user is more shocked on how people randomly have access to this system…
This user is happy that the boss had their back!
This user shares a similar experience.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who ends up quitting over a dispute over bereavement leave.
This user doesn’t understand the point here!
This user believes the boss isn’t being bossy enough.
Somebody needs to learn to take charge here!
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