中文Most printing companies do not set out to create confusion. Job descriptions drift, procedures go undocumented, and employees gradually accumulate responsibilities that nobody planned for. Before management notices, the organization has become the workplace equivalent of a kitchen junk drawer: full of useful things, but nobody is quite sure what is in there or why it is there.
That is the central argument of a recent American Printer article by Debbie Nicholson, a long-time industry observer. She argues that printing companies pay a hidden cost for assumptions: assumptions about who does what, assumptions about what employees know, and assumptions about how work actually gets done.
The problem usually starts innocently. A customer service representative takes on scheduling to help during a busy period. A production worker starts coordinating shipping because someone else left. Over time, these extra duties become permanent, even though they never appear in anyone’s job description. Eventually, employees are performing roles that look nothing like the positions they were hired for.
Nicholson suggests a simple diagnostic: hand every employee their current job description and see what happens. If the response is laughter, the company has a problem. The mismatch between formal roles and actual responsibilities creates friction, slows decision-making, and makes accountability difficult. It also puts organizations at risk when key employees leave, taking undocumented knowledge with them.
The fix begins with taking inventory. Managers should ask employees what tasks they perform weekly that are not listed in their job descriptions, what responsibilities have been added in the last year, what should be removed, and which tasks consume most of their time. This is not a one-time exercise. Roles should be reviewed regularly because the business environment changes continuously.
Reviews are another area where assumptions cause damage. In many companies, employees have come to associate performance reviews with salary negotiations. As a result, managers postpone reviews or rush through them, missing the opportunity to align expectations and address problems early. Nicholson argues that reviews should be separated from raise discussions. A review should answer whether employees understand their responsibilities, whether expectations are clear, whether priorities have changed, what support or training is needed, and what obstacles are blocking success.
When reviews become conversations about growth and communication, they become more useful and less stressful for everyone. Raises can be discussed separately, ideally through a transparent process that employees understand.
Cross-training is another tool for reducing the cost of assumptions. When employees understand how their work affects other departments, they are more willing to step in and help. Customer service staff who understand production constraints make better promises to customers. Production staff who understand customer expectations make better decisions about priorities. Cross-training also reduces dependence on individual employees and makes the organization more resilient.
Nicholson identifies “that’s not my job” as one of the most dangerous phrases in printing. The antidote is a culture in which serving the customer is everyone’s responsibility. That does not mean eliminating specialized roles. It means creating clear boundaries while also encouraging collaboration.
Employee retention is perhaps the ultimate measure of whether a company has managed its assumptions well. Most employees, Nicholson notes, do not want to do mediocre work. They want to contribute, succeed, understand expectations, and work for leadership that invests in their growth. They also want to be rewarded financially without having to ask.
Printing companies that thrive in the years ahead may not be the ones with the newest presses. They will be the ones with the clearest roles, the strongest communication, and the most engaged teams. Equipment can be bought. Institutional knowledge, trust, and culture take longer to build and are easier to lose.
For owners and managers, the message is practical. Start by updating job descriptions. Separate reviews from raise conversations. Invest in cross-training. Ask employees what they actually do. These steps are not glamorous, but they address the root causes of many operational problems.
The printing industry has always been a people business. Even as automation, artificial intelligence, and digital workflows transform production, the fundamentals of management remain unchanged. Companies that understand the cost of assumptions will be better positioned to adapt, grow, and retain the talent they need.
Source: American Printer
The article also touches on a deeper truth about family-owned and founder-led printing companies. In many cases, the business was built around the knowledge and relationships of a small number of people. As those companies grow and generations change, the informal systems that once worked become bottlenecks. Documenting processes and clarifying roles is not bureaucracy; it is the foundation of sustainable growth.
Technology can help, but it cannot replace clarity. Workflow software, MIS systems, and automation tools work best when roles are well defined and handoffs are understood. A company that automates confusion will simply produce confusion faster. That is why the human systems, job descriptions, communication rhythms, and accountability structures, deserve as much attention as the production systems.
