Modernising Print Workflows To Unlock Productivity Gains
- Paul Andrews - CEO Family Business United
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
HP Inc. have released The Workflow Wakeup: How Unexpected Tech Can Help Future-Proof Small and Medium Businesses, a new report exposing growing operational strain facing small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Drawing on extensive global research, the report uncovers how outdated technology, inefficient document workflows, and overlooked print security vulnerabilities slow productivity, drain budgets, and spur employee burnout.
Across industries, SMBs are working harder than ever, but not necessarily more efficiently. According to HP’s analysis, 56% of UK SMB IT leaders say their teams spend more time fixing problems caused by outdated systems, creating a cycle of constant firefighting that prevents teams from modernising or innovating.
The research also finds that nearly half of SMB workers say outdated tools make daily tasks unnecessarily frustrating, while 50% of UK IT leaders spend too much time on manual tasks that could be automated— an often-overlooked drag on productivity in hybrid and distributed workplaces.
Meanwhile, AI-enabled workflow tools present powerful new opportunities. HP’s data show 90% of UK knowledge workers say smart printing has reduced strain on IT, freeing teams for strategic work, and 79% of UK IT leaders say smart printing has delivered a strong return on investment, revealing significant upside in rethinking everyday office systems.
On the security front, SMBs remain alarmingly exposed. Quocirca research indicates that six in 10 SMBs experienced at least one print-related data loss in the past year, underscoring the need for modernised endpoint protection as hybrid work expands the attack surface.
The Workflow Wakeup consolidates these insights into a comprehensive look at how smarter, more connected print ecosystems can help SMBs reclaim time, reduce risk, and build resilience for the future of work.
Aurelio Maruggi, Division President, HP Office Print Solutions, comments: “What our research makes clear is that the biggest obstacles facing SMBs aren’t always the ones that make headlines — they’re the everyday systems that quietly slow teams down."
"Outdated workflows, unsecured printers, and manual document processes chip away at productivity in ways leaders can’t always see, but employees feel every day."
"Modernising print and document management isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about giving growing businesses the visibility, control, and intelligence they need to compete."
"When you turn a routine task like printing into a smart, secure, AI- enabled workflow, you unlock capacity across the entire organisation.”
Key Findings from The Workflow Wakeup
56% of UK SMB IT leaders say their teams are constantly “putting out fires” caused by outdated systems, limiting innovation.
53% of UK knowledge workers say they spend too much time on manual tasks that could be automated.
50% of UK IT leaders say print issues take up more support time than they should.
25% of UK knowledge workers say smart printing has saved me more than an hour each week.
UK SMBs could unlock up to $7.1 billion annually in productivity gains by modernising print workflows.
Younger employees — especially Gen Z — are the quickest to abandon inconsistent tools and the fastest to embrace intelligent, seamless workflows, illustrating the rising expectation for friction-free technology at work.
Six in 10 SMBs have experienced a print-related data loss, highlighting major security blind spots.
73% of UK IT leaders say smart printing has delivered a strong return on investment.
For additional insights on digital transformation for SMBs, please visit The Workforce Wakeup
Download and read the report here:
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