In every company, the same cycle of staff turnover occurs: employees change jobs, take parental leave, get sick or retire. As a result, the organization's knowledge is often lost because there is no functioning knowledge management system. If this results in operations no longer running smoothly, it can be expensive for the company. So how can knowledge transfer succeed without valuable knowledge being lost? We highlight the six most important factors for retaining and managing valuable knowledge in the organization.
1. Setting up the right infrastructure
A central, digital knowledge database is the heart of any knowledge management system. It must be easily accessible, well-structured and user friendly. Choosing the right technical solution is crucial for the success of the entire system. Depending on the size of the company and its requirements, this could be a traditional wiki, a modern document management system or a specialized knowledge management platform. Modern systems are increasingly using the support of generative AI to facilitate the documentation and processing of knowledge, to smartly categorize content and to simplify approval processes through controlled workflows. It is crucial that the chosen solution integrates seamlessly into existing workflows and can be used intuitively by all employees.
2. Defining clear responsibilities
Successful knowledge management requires a dedicated team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. At the top are the main knowledge managers and/or editors, who coordinate and monitor the entire process. They work closely with subject matter experts from different departments within the company, who contribute their specific know-how. Quality assurance officers ensure that the information is up to date and correct. To ensure the continuous availability of the system, appropriate substitution rules must also be established. The system can only run smoothly if everyone involved knows their role and responsibility.
3. Establishing standardized processes
The success of knowledge management depends to a large extent on clearly defined processes. Each step in the process of capturing new knowledge and publishing it must be clearly regulated. Starting with standardized procedures for documenting knowledge, this includes defined review and approval processes as well as regular update cycles. A detailed style guide specifies how content should be prepared in order to ensure consistent quality. The way in which user feedback is handled must also be clearly regulated to enable continuous improvement.
4. Ensuring quality through collaboration
Quality assurance is a collaborative process that takes place at several levels. Double-checking when publishing new content is just the first step. Regular reviews ensure that all information remains up to date and relevant. Ongoing user feedback helps to identify areas for improvement and to adapt the content to actual needs. Subject-specific validation by experts ensures that even complex issues are presented accurately.
5. Presenting knowledge in a user-friendly way
The way in which knowledge is presented determines the usability of the entire system. All information must be phrased in way that allows the target group to quickly grasp it and apply it directly. This requires concise, comprehensible language and a clear, logical structure of the content. Ideally, the content should be prepared by trained editors. The focus is always on practical relevance – theoretical knowledge must be supplemented with concrete examples of how it is applied. Regular relevance checks ensure that no outdated or unnecessary information is stored in the system.
6. Developing a knowledge culture
The technical and organizational aspects of knowledge management can only be fully effective if they are supported by a corresponding corporate culture. This must be based on the active participation of all employees and characterized by an open feedback culture. The sharing of knowledge must be recognized and appreciated as a valuable contribution to the company's success. Continuous learning and improvement should be understood as natural components of daily work.
Conclusion
There are still many companies that do not capture and share specialized knowledge and as a result, they lose it. Especially with a high employee turnover, knowledge loss can paralyze a company. It is often difficult for HR managers to keep track of which employees have what knowledge and what value this knowledge has for the company.
A knowledge management system that is structured across departments, promotes collaboration and makes similarities and differences transparent holds enormous potential. It can create synergies, speed up processes many times over and significantly increase customer satisfaction.
A corporate culture in which controlled knowledge transfer is not practiced puts up barriers and expands positions of power that are based on knowledge. As a result, silos develop in departments or business areas. A functioning knowledge management system can at least break up these silos to some extent and contribute to the successful transfer of knowledge within the company.
Interested in avoiding knowledge loss in your company? Read our white paper “Knowledge management across the company” to find out how structured knowledge management works and how to implement it effectively throughout your organization, while increasing efficiency and quality.