Here Are Ways To Promote Knowledge Sharing In Your Organization

Organizations that fail to perform in knowledge management run the risk of preventing employees from accessing information they need to do their jobs. They should be aware that a knowledge sharing culture, after all, is the bread and butter of any company, may it be a startup firm or a well-organized medium-sized organization. Here are some ways companies can foster knowledge sharing in their ranks.

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Keep an open communication

Use clear, transparent means of communication, such as having employees express their ideas and contributions, and access company information in a regular manner. This fosters a culture of trust and awareness.

Engage people through conversations and scheduled meetings

Traditional office meetings and town hall gatherings never go out of style, and here employees get a chance to interact with upper management and discuss ideas and ask questions freely. Apart from formal meetings, meaningful peer to peer conversations every day also make a lasting mark in knowledge sharing.

Design the workplace to be conducive to knowledge sharing

Offices can be more social-friendly by setting up several coffee stations that can bring people together, designing conference rooms to be less formal and with several smaller tables with groups of chairs, and promoting casual seating in common spaces.

Share knowledge via training and onboarding techniques

Give new hires an assigned mentor, and allow them to shadow team members that exemplify knowledge sharing and collaboration as they work. Ask new hires and junior staff for their input, and always assume their desire to contribute and offer opinions that could be truly beneficial for the organization.

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Patrick Lanning is a leadership and team coach. In the past he held both student services and instructional positions such as part- and full-time faculty, faculty chair, director, dean, vice president and chief academic officer. Read more about education on this site.

Tips On How To Start And Keep Employees Engaged

In consulting firm Deloitte’s survey on work environments last 2016, it was shown that the most important movement in businesses is “Culture and Engagement.” However, a little less than 70 percent of U.S. employees are miserable and discontented with their work, leading to high employee turnover and low productivity.

Companies should then make sure that many, if not all, of their employees are engaged. Here are some tips how to do that:

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• Establish a clear vision: The vision serves not just as the company’s direction and what it intends to achieve, it also provides a roadmap for employees. A clearly defined vision guides the organization’s members in navigating the business’s twists and turns.
• Communicate and connect: A culture that fosters consistent and clear communication boosts a company and encourages everyone to commit to do their job. Beyond communication, though, finding ways to connect with team members individually can also play a huge role in shaping their workplace experience.
• Focus on developing strengths: Some team leaders are bent on improving members’ weaknesses until the exercise becomes counterproductive. Instead, their strengths should be identified and developed. In doing so, they can become actively engaged in the workplace.

  

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Leadership and life coach Patrick Lanning from Oregon helps his clients draw solutions geared toward transformative learning. He has had 25 years of experience in higher education, which had him encountering many challenges and opportunities that have influenced his approach and belief in the transformative power of life changing and learning. Read more about Mr. Lanning here.