Hypothetically, if a colleague has repeatedly demonstrated the utter lack of reading comprehension skills (like pulling the same door labelled "push" for the hundredth time), what job could one suggest for them where this "disability" wouldn't be detrimental?
Yea, this question definitely left me feeling like I'd much rather get a beer with their coworker (and hold the door for them) than the question asker.
This is not about a single coworker and a door, but intended as a generic light-hearted roast for everybody who keep ignoring simple signs such as which waste bin is for paper, how to leave a room, etc. Petty? Sure as hell. Being a dick? Wouldn't say so.
In this instance, it’s usually a basic design problem. If you have to label a door “push” because some idiot put a handle on it that you’d instinctively pull on instead of a simple push plate that’s impossible to grab, that’s not the user’s issue.
The example you've given is likely not a problem with reading comprehension but obliviousness. I read and understand things very well (I have to read and correct engineering drawings and schematics and implement them), but I simply don't notice a lot of what goes on around me.
My suggestion for that is any job that doesn't require safety, physical team labor, or security.
If it's a legitimate issue of illiteracy there are companies that rely on illiterate workers and workers with other special needs to legally shred their sensitive documents. It's amazing for both sides. It takes the concern for privacy off the table and gives a person a job, money, and a sense of purpose that they otherwise might not have.
In an age where most information is digital there are still a lot of industries that rely on paper and for sensitive information and sometimes that paper needs to be shredded. Legal documents, HIPAA standards in the US, and trade secrets are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Since being able to read makes you unable to voluntarily suppress reading (at least in my experience), surely there is some way to prove that.
Edit: Considei the well-known task where you see names of colors and you have to quickly say the color of the font itself (which is different from the color written).
Fair point. But, medically and developmentally speaking there are people with a lower mental capacity that literally can't read. The entire adult care industry exists for a reason. Those people need something to do so they don't simply waste away.
At least those a friend of mine did who came already illitterate from Afghanistan to Sweden and also didn't learn to read and write in Sweden yet (despite being very good in speaking the swedish language after a couple of years.)
Well that depends, what causes this difficulty in reading and how far does it extend? Is it dyslexia? Do they have issues memorizing things? Are they completely beyond learning a fixed action?
Hmm... Then CEO of Twitter? Oh wait nvm you said it should not be detrimental...
On a more serious note though, uhhh I guess this person would do better in a job revolving something they genuinely have an interest in. The stubbornness to ignore information they don't find relevant will probably affect them negatively in the long run when it comes to dealing with criticism and learning from their mistakes but I guess they can keep trying things out until they find something that sticks. And for the love of fuck keep innocent workers out of their shenanigans 🙃
pulling the same door labelled "push" for the hundredth time
I was about to say that maybe one side of the door has the wrong handle, before remembering that glass doors usually have the same handle on both sides...
To answer your actual question: functional illiteracy is still functional, if somebody has a job, and they're keeping it, doesn't matter if they can't really read. Most people can cope without doing any reading in their daily lives, they'll ask somebody else to read something for them if it's absolutely necessary, but there's a huge part of humanity whose jobs do not involve ingesting novel data and critical thinking.
Quite honestly even the people who do need those critical thinking skills don't need them on a day-to-day basis. Most people get into a routine and don't really need to read anymore. So somebody could adapt to that routine through friends and family, and never really learn how to read.
Now to move on to your scenario, which isn't based on a literacy, just on somebody being oblivious and or stubborn. Those people existed all levels. Just let him be. Don't let them annoy you. Arguing with an oblivious stubborn person is a double whammy, because they don't realize whatever they're doing is inefficient, and if they do eventually get it, they're going to double down because their stubborn
Don't they need to read the instructions for the cleaning supplies? Especially because those are industry strength and would most likely need to be diluted?
Auto body shop work
Same here. Read und understand car manuals and safety stuff.
I work in an organization where many of our facilities staff are immigrants, and completely illiterate (even in their own language). So, no. They need a facilities director/supervisor/building manager to guide them in their roles.
Same for auto body shops, as long as you're working on vehicles before a certain year, you can learn all you need to know an be effective in your role.
Washing cars for Avis. When I did that one of my coworkers was illiterate. He managed just fine. Only thing he had to do was memorize the few questions on the return slip to know which checkboxes associated to which aspect of the car’s state.