Member Article

Digitising knowledge management is key to boosting collaboration and productivity in 2023

**Businesses that are looking to excel in the coming year are being urged to prioritise digital knowledge management in order to gain a competitive edge and optimise both collaboration and productivity over increasingly dispersed teams. **

Recent CIPD research has revealed more than three-quarters of employers allow hybrid working, through either formal or informal arrangements. It has been well-documented that this new way of working requires a different approach across many business functions - new equipment, communication channels and working patterns, to name just a few.

However, knowledge management is rarely prioritised, despite quality knowledge being the bedrock of most businesses. In 2023, Angus Gregory, CEO of Biomni, is urging businesses to recognise the importance of knowledge management, particularly to the success of dispersed teams.

“Traditionally, much of our fact-finding has taken place in the office where it’s easy to raise a quick question by the watercooler or take a short walk to the department next door. Where this is no longer an option, or the opportunities are reduced, businesses need to step in and replicate this process virtually to minimise interruptions to productivity. 2023 looks set to be a challenging year for businesses, so easy access to business knowledge is going to be crucial,” says Angus.

It is not only productivity that is at stake when knowledge management is neglected. If vital information is not easy to find, collaboration efforts are compromised and morale suffers when valuable energy is spent searching multiple databases. In addition, by investing in self-service, businesses can reduce the reliance on raising external IT tickets, impacting the bottom line.

To help organisation formalise their digital knowledge management processes, Angus has shared five essential tips to getting started:

Use the technology at your disposal - Technology has been a great enabler of hybrid working and it can be the same for knowledge management. Solutions like Tenjin use intuitive AI and virtual assistants to make business knowledge searchable and are low/no-code so it does not have to be deployed and monitored by a developer.

Share the responsibility - Knowledge is dispersed across the organisation, so it makes sense that the responsibility for each specialism rests with those who have the most day-to-day knowledge. Splitting the responsibility of keeping the system up-to-date across multiple moderators means it does not consume too much valuable time for one person, but it is consistently being monitored for necessary updates.

Use natural and business-specific language - We don’t always know exactly what we’re looking for. Every business uses different terminology. By programming virtual assistants with natural and business-specific language, users are able to search in conversational terms for the knowledge they need. To really embed this, users should be involved in the deployment of the system so it accurately reflects their communication styles.

Make it multi-experience - Just like we all use different language, our communication styles vary too. Sole reliance on static knowledge articles just isn’t going to cut it in 2023. Instead, your knowledge system should be multi-experience and inclusive. Solutions are available that provide real time translations, text-to-speech and functions that connect you with the right co-workers or live agents.

Incentivise people to share their expertise - A knowledge system is only as powerful as the knowledge put into it. Incentivisation can ensure the crowd are constantly keeping it up-to-date. Leaderboards, tests, badges, money for chosen charities/CSR initiatives and rewards can all encourage teams to do their bit in making knowledge readily accessible for colleagues across the globe.

“The organisations that are going to be the most successful in 2023 are those who empower their people with easy-to-access knowledge in a centralised, business-specific resource,” concludes Angus.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by AmbitionPR .