Company-initiated training has become an increasingly important activity in printingfirms because of the digital revolution in the industry which started in the mid 1980's.Previously, almost every step in prepress, press and finishing was analog, but today theworkflow can be 100 percent digital until the information reaches the paper on the press.The computer is the principal part of the workflow, and it is essential for a printing firmto continuously train its workforce in the new technologies in order to develop thecompany's human resources, and thereby to improve the workflow and even ultimately toensure the company's survival. This thesis seeks to determine (1) why printing companiesprovide company-initiated training in prepress, press and finishing, (2) what sort oftraining they provide their employees with, (3) how successful they are, and (4) howimportant they think company-initiated training is in general. In addition, one of thepurposes of this thesis is to note if there are any differences in company-initiated trainingbetween US and Swedish printing firms.A survey of 13 questions was developed and e-mailed to 10 US printers and 10 Swedishprinters of different types and sizes. The data from the survey was analyzed for overallfrequency and was then used to test this thesis' four hypotheses.Hypothesis I: Company-initiated training contributes to improved worker morale;Hypothesis II: Company-initiated training contributes to improved worker retention;Hypothesis III: Company-initiated training contributes to improved productivity;Hypothesis IV: Company-initiated training contributes to reduced absenteeism.The printing companies were asked to rate how company-initiated training impactsmorale, retention, productivity and absenteeism respectively. The rating scale was 0 to 5where 0 equals "no impact"and 5 equals "highest impact." Seven types of company initiatedtraining were given: on-the job training (employee-to-employee), internalcourses, off-site seminars, certification programs, consultant's help,manufacturer/supplier training programs, on-line courses and "other (specify)." Anaverage rating for each one of the hypotheses was calculated in order to determine therelative significance of company-initiated training on morale, retention, productivity andabsenteeism as judged by printing executives.The results of the survey determined that three of the four hypotheses tested in the courseof this work received substantial support. 19 of 20 companies answered that they doprovide company-initiated training (CIT).Hypothesis I, CIT contributes to improved worker morale, scored the average 3.87.Hypothesis II, CIT contributes to improved worker retention, scored the average 3.16,and Hypothesis III, CIT contributes to improve productivity, scored 3.89. Hypothesis IV,CIT contributes to reduced absenteeism, scored the average 1.79, indicating low supportfor this hypothesis (Table 1).The results of this survey determine that printing companies are aware of the importance ofcompany-initiated training, regardless of their type or size, and consider it important inprepress, press and finishing. Prepress is the area that has changed most since the digitalrevolution, and this is the area that the companies consider CIT most important (averagerating 4.78 of 5). However, CIT in the press room is considered important too (averagerating 4.31 of 5), while CIT in finishing is considered less important (ave. rating 3.68 of 5).Regarding the differences between US and Swedish printers, the results of the surveyindicate one significant difference: retention. US printers consider that CIT has a higherimpact on retention than Swedish printers do. One reason could be that there are moreprinting companies in the US which means more competition and the employees havemore job options. If a company does not provide CIT, the employee goes to a companythat does provide it and that gives the person the opportunity to grow with the company.This difference regarding retention warrants further study of why CIT is considered moreimportant in US printers compared with Swedish printers. A further study could include alarger number of companies in the survey and could focus more indepth on how CITimpacts morale, retention, productivity and absenteeism specifically in prepress, pressand finishing.
