Cross-training has become an excuse for poor staffing decisions. Rather than hiring enough people to adequately cover the workload, management continually adds responsibilities to existing employees and calls it versatility. The result is an overwhelmed workforce, diluted attention, increased errors, burnout, and an unhealthy work environment.
You cannot keep adding roles, responsibilities, and expectations without adding resources. Employees are not an unlimited staffing solution, and expecting them to function as multiple positions simultaneously is not good management. It's cost-cutting at the expense of the people doing the work.