Oscar Wilde once said, “The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on.”
This thought may have been expressed a long time ago, but it continues to carry weight in the workplace today.
When it comes to running a business and managing people with different skills and expertise, it is important that each member of your team is empowered and engaged as they take on their tasks and make business decisions. This is why knowledge sharing is critical – it is capable to bring change to how employees deliver and how the company progresses as a whole.
In this digital age, it is near impossible for organisations to survive with siloed information. Those that make their knowledge accessible tend to be more successful – take Airbnb for instance. The company values transparency and communication. They encourage two-way dialogues, thought- and idea-sharing, and keeping teams in the loop no matter where they are – the company’s bi-weekly world meeting is an example of this.
This is the essence of knowledge sharing – to cultivate growth on all levels of an organisation as they strive to achieve excellence.
But what exactly is knowledge sharing?
Knowledge sharing is the passing of information for the greater good of the organisation. This means information isn’t isolated or compartmentalised but rather available to everyone, whatever their role and rank in the organisation. Think of it as a currency that’s freely exchanged, making it more valuable for the internal organisation.
What’s the benefit of knowledge sharing?
A company with a good knowledge sharing system are able to learn from each other’s experiences and create reusable solutions that can be referenced for different scenarios. In this process, the system drives improvement and innovation, and enables quicker and quality decision-making.
Knowledge sharing not only enhances the expertise of employees, which translates into good results with customers, but it also brings a company together through inclusivity, therefore creating a happier workforce and a stronger company culture.
How do you foster knowledge sharing in an organisation?
Here are a few strategies you can implement when it comes to knowledge sharing to positively impact your company culture:
Keep transparent communication
Communication is a two-way process. For knowledge sharing to be effective in a corporate environment, people must be able to freely express their thoughts and ideas.
Moreover, employees must be included with necessary information and development about the company. It is a fundamental step in instilling trust and awareness among employees.
Foster team bonding
The camaraderie between employees is a driving force in a company’s quest for success. In a corporate environment, it is important to keep a sense of community and encourage social learning through team bonding. When everyone feels like they are part of the team, they will find it easier to share knowledge, skills, and information to other members of the team.
Consider team meets and activities that take place outside of the office. A 2010 study from the Kenexa Research Institute showed that 50% of positive changes in workplace communication resulted from social interaction outside the workplace.
Take advantage of your knowledge experts
In every company, there are people who simply excel and stand out from the crowd when it comes to their knowledge, expertise, and experience. Give these thought leaders and subject experts a platform to share their knowledge. Incentivise them to put their knowledge to good use and capitalise on their expertise for the common good of your team.
Use knowledge management tools
Knowledge sharing tools make it easy and convenient for you and your team to share information both internally and externally. Use a platform where you can streamline communication and discussion and include cloud-based or mobile sharing systems which allows knowledge to be accessible anywhere. Look into communication software or project management software like monday.com, Trello, and JIRA.
If done right, knowledge sharing will not only boost productivity, it can also improve engagement retention of talent. A good knowledge sharing culture ensures positive workplace dynamics and ultimately impacts your workforce from bottom line and up.