Earlier this week I was sitting in the drive-thru waiting for my coffee when a newspaper headline caught my eye. “117 City Workers Retirement Eligible in the Next 5 Years.” I live in a small town so my first thought was, “Wow! That must be every employee the city has,” but I quickly transitioned into thinking about universities and the similar situation most facilities departments are currently experiencing. Everyone is retiring, and they are taking all of their institutional knowledge with them.
Frontline staff, in particular, hold a wealth of information about the physical and relational aspects of the buildings they work in, which is rarely documented in official records. Their departure can lead to a significant knowledge gap, affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of operations. Without a strategic approach to retain this institutional knowledge, it risks being lost when those staff leave.
Frontline staff are the first point of contact for students, staff, and faculty. They possess a deep understanding of the intricacies of the buildings and grounds they oversee. This includes knowledge of the physical layout, maintenance quirks, safety protocols, and the unique needs and preferences of building users. Their interactions with a wide range of individuals allows them to build key relationships, creating a network that is vital for the smooth operation of the facilities department.
Much of the knowledge held by frontline staff is tacit; it is intuitive, uncodified, and built through personal experience. Unlike explicit knowledge, which can be easily documented and transferred, tacit knowledge is inherently difficult to articulate and formalize. This presents a significant challenge in knowledge transfer as much of what these employees know is never captured in written form. Luckily, there are strategies that can be implemented to safeguard against the loss of this invaluable institutional knowledge.
Strategies for effective knowledge transfer
1. Implement a knowledge transfer plan.
Facilities departments must proactively develop a knowledge transfer plan that identifies key areas of knowledge that need to be captured and the best methods for doing so. This plan should be tailored to the unique needs of different trades and should involve direct input from the frontline staff.
2. Utilize mentorship and shadowing programs.
One effective way to transfer tacit knowledge is through mentorship and shadowing programs. New or less-experienced employees can learn directly from seasoned staff members, gaining insights and knowledge that are not available in training manuals or procedure documents. This hands-on experience is important in transferring nuanced understanding and skills.
3. Leverage technology for knowledge sharing.
Technology plays a crucial role in modern knowledge management. Digital platforms can be used to create knowledge repositories where staff can document their insights, experiences, and tips in various formats, including text, video, and audio. This makes the knowledge more accessible and easier to transfer to others.
4. Foster a culture of knowledge sharing.
Creating a culture that values and encourages knowledge sharing is essential. Employees should be motivated and rewarded for sharing their knowledge and expertise. This can be achieved through recognition programs and incentives or by incorporating knowledge-sharing goals into annual performance evaluations.
5. Conduct exit interviews and handover sessions.
Structured exit interviews and handover sessions can help capture knowledge from employees who are leaving. These sessions should be designed to extract as much information as possible about the employee’s roles, responsibilities, and informal networks they have developed.
There are several barriers to effective knowledge transfer including time constraints, resistance to change, and the undervaluing of tacit knowledge. Overcoming these barriers requires commitment from leadership, adequate resources, and continuous reinforcement of the importance of knowledge sharing.
The loss of institutional knowledge with the departure of frontline staff is a significant issue that can impact a facilities department’s efficiency and effectiveness. Implementing comprehensive knowledge transfer strategies is crucial to capture and preserve this invaluable asset. By prioritizing mentorship, leveraging technology, fostering a knowledge-sharing culture, and conducting thorough exit processes, facilities departments can mitigate the risks associated with employee turnover and ensure business continuity.
Managing human capital, an institution’s biggest asset, is not just about recruiting and training new employees, but also about effectively capturing and transferring the wealth of knowledge held by departing staff. As facilities departments continue to navigate the complexities of workforce demographics, the ability to successfully manage knowledge transfer will become an increasingly vital component of success.
If you and your department have developed any strategies not mentioned here, please send me an e-mail so we can get your best practices shared.
Lindsay Wagner, PhD, is the owner of The Knowledge Collaborative, based in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She can be reached at [email protected]. If you would like to contribute to this column, please contact Lindsay directly.
Facility Asset Management
Covers the issues and challenges surrounding the management of a facilities department, including solutions for benchmarking performance measures, database and reporting systems, and professional and educational trends in facilities management. To contribute, contact Lindsay Wagner, field editor of this column.
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