In our age of rapid technology and workplace change, do you find yourself frustrated and saying, “I’m just supposed to know!”? You’re not alone!
Recently, I bought a new stove with a timer so quiet you had to hover over it to hear the alarm. Frustrated, I went looking for an old-fashioned wind-up kitchen timer. To my disappointment, only digital ones were available.
It looked simple enough. The instructions had just a few steps, but after following them, no numbers appeared on the display. How was I supposed to set minutes if I couldn’t see the numbers? I searched for something to peel off, found nothing obvious, and grew increasingly frustrated.
“Am I just supposed to know this?” I muttered, ready to return it as defective.
As a last resort, my husband took a look. After his own struggles, we went online—nothing helpful there either. Finally, through sheer persistence, he discovered a nearly invisible protective film over the display that had to be peeled off just right.
There were the numbers! But why wasn’t removing that film mentioned in the instructions? Why wasn’t there a clear “Step 1: Remove protective film from display” right at the top?
The Real Problem
Whether it’s a surprise social media update, a new company system, or poorly written product instructions, we’re constantly expected to figure things out without people-focused training. We waste time, get frustrated, and wonder why we weren’t just told what we needed to know up front!
Having spent years as a corporate trainer, I see this everywhere. The gap between what people need to know and what they’re actually taught is staggering.
The Numbers Tell the Story
According to the World Economic Forum, six in 10 workers will need training before 2027. Yet 30% of workers say they need more education and training to advance their careers right now.
Here’s what’s broken: Among workers who say they need training, only 13% point to classes or online tutorials as effective learning methods. Meanwhile, 28% say learning on the job works best. We’re drowning people in passive video content when they need hands-on, contextual learning.
For those who need training but don’t get it, the barriers are real: 43% can’t find time, 38% can’t afford it, 28% say their employer won’t cover costs, and 23% simply can’t find the right type of training.
The Companies Getting It Right
The good news? Some companies understand that clear, comprehensive training shows up directly in customer experience. Amazon, Chick-fil-A, and Marriott consistently rank among the highest for customer service—and it’s no coincidence they also invest heavily in proper employee training.
What Needs to Change
Stop assuming people “just know.” Whether you’re writing instructions for a kitchen timer or rolling out new software, ask yourself: What am I missing? What seems obvious to me but isn’t to someone encountering this for the first time?
In corporate training, this means moving to specific, job-relevant scenarios. It means building learning into the workflow, not separate from it. It means recognizing that when people struggle with new processes or tools, the problem usually isn’t their ability, it’s our instruction.
The next time you hear someone say, “I’m just supposed to know this,” remember: they’re telling you exactly where your training or communication failed. Listen to that frustration. It’s pointing you toward the solution.
