Handle the necessary tasks of producing the newspaper AND behind-the-scenes necessities

Chip Hutcheson

Sep 1, 2025

The typical community weekly newspaper doesn’t have the luxury of a human resources (HR) person — let alone a full department — available to help with employee recruitment, overseeing payroll, benefits, adherence to labor laws or employee counseling, plus many other tasks.

Those responsibilities ultimately fall to the owner/publisher, who most often is consumed with getting the paper out on time each week. There’s no question that HR work is important and necessary, so how does a small operation handle the necessary tasks of producing the newspaper while dealing with these behind-the-scenes necessities?

There are no easy solutions, but let’s consider some options to help with caring for employees and creating a workplace where people will enjoy — as much as possible — their time on the job.

ELIMINATE MOTIVATION KILLERS

1) Do your best to pay employees for the value they provide. Money isn’t everything, but personnel need to know they are appreciated in a tangible way. I’ve read that 26% of highly engaged employees would jump ship for a 5% pay hike. If you cannot afford to pay more, make sure to compensate in other ways, such as an occasional day off with pay.

2) Value input from your staff. Giving personnel the opportunity to share ideas and ways to improve will give them buy-in and reap greater internal harmony. Not everyone has to agree on everything, but don’t squash people being able to have a say in the operation.

3) Finding employees is not easy, but having too many negative people around is a company-wide morale problem. Negativity speaks much quicker than positivity. You cannot avoid grouchy people in this world, but you should be able to at work.

4) Make sure your staff knows that everyone fails at times. Warren Buffett was rejected at Harvard. Michael Jordan was cut his sophomore year from his high school basketball team. Those setbacks didn’t result in them giving up; they fueled their desire for success. If you never fail at anything, you’re not trying enough.

When I moved back to my hometown to take over the family newspaper operation, one of my good friends from high school told me he thought I was making a big mistake. That only intensified my desire to prove him wrong. And I did!

5) Micromanaging is a major morale killer. Focus on inspiring, not second-guessing.

6) Overload of meetings. Far too many organizations are plagued by too many meetings, accompanied by meetings that last too long. Sometimes these are necessary, but have a checklist of action items and stick to it.

CULTIVATE A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE 

1) Early in my newspaper career, I (unfortunately) thought employees’ loyalty should be to the paper, above all else. That was a mistake that cost me a few valuable employees. Be sensitive to the needs and emotions of your staff. One of my worst mistakes was pressing an ad manager to return to work very soon after her first grandchild was born. That didn’t cause her to leave immediately, but it prompted her to start looking for a job elsewhere.

2) Value loyalty. When someone reaches a milestone with your organization, find a way to celebrate it. It’s amazing how recognizing someone for their five-year anniversary with your organization will plant the seed for them of staying for the 10-year anniversary. Applaud them in the paper and in the community. Add a bonus to their paycheck, or give some extra time off.

HAVE FUN ON THE JOB

No question about it — newspaper work is stressful. Deadlines, meeting revenue projections, making sure what we write is factual — you can add plenty more stress producers. But being able to laugh at and with each other is important.

Perhaps this will help you. One snowy winter day, I walked into the front office of our newspaper and found the four women standing at the window, looking at the snow. I was not happy, so I announced, “If all you are going to do is stand there and look at the snow, then clock out and go home!”

That was not the right thing to say to four dedicated employees! No one clocked out; they went back to their desks — but they had plenty to talk about. What’s so interesting is what followed. The next day, they ganged up on me, asking “What were you thinking?” I had to be truthful by saying, “I wasn’t thinking — I’m sorry.” But that incident became a part of our newspaper lore for several decades. I cannot count the times that the front office people told how no one better get caught looking outside at the weather because Chip would call them out on it. That comment was always followed by an eruption of laughter. It turned an unfortunate comment into something we could all laugh about.

FINAL THOUGHT

From the HR perspective, realize that not everyone is thrilled to go to work every day. But here is a good thought to share with those you work with: “If you wake up not feeling like you want to come to work, take a shower, get dressed and come on in anyway. When you get to work, we will help you feel better.”

Chip Hutcheson is the retired publisher of The Times Leader in Princeton, Kentucky. He was NNA president in 2015. He currently serves as a content strategist for Kentucky Today, the online news website of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. Email him at chiphutcheson@yahoo.com