How to Manage Knowledge Within a Multigenerational Workforce
Transforming hidden knowledge into explicit knowledge through Exact Synergy
The 3rd blog in the Transformation Through Synergy blog series by Exceptional Software Solutions LLC
Average age of engineers in the United States = 55
Average age of engineers in Mexico = 27
Average age of engineers in China = 24
Multigenerational workforces are ubiquitous in today’s business world. Manage this workforce effectively, and the knowledge that will flow among your teams will transform your business in ways never thought possible. But mismanage this workforce and the knowledge stays hidden — or leaves your organization for good.
This “Transformation Through Synergy” blog addresses two common ways that knowledge is hiding in your organization — ineffective knowledge share and lack of knowledge transfer — and discusses how Exceptional Software Solutions LLC has used Exact Synergy to help our customers within the manufacturing and distribution industries effectively manage this knowledge among a multigenerational workforce.
The case for knowledge share
In the United States, an increasing number of workers are expecting to delay retirement.
In 2015, 37% of Americans report that they expect to retire after the age of 65, which is nearly triple the 14% that expected to retire after 65 in 1995. — Gallup.com
While experienced employees remain in the workforce longer, the Millennial Generation emerges into the workforce, eager to make an impact. In a multigenerational business world, organizations are faced with the need to create an environment for effective collaboration among employees with a diverse set of knowledge — from proficiency in modern technologies to the expertise in the people and processes that are the foundation of the business.
This translates into a need for an effective system for knowledge share.
The case for knowledge transfer
For the small to mid-sized business owner, the complexity of the multigenerational workforce is compounded by the modern reality of job-hopping.
As the economy rebounds from the recession, the trend of changing jobs is losing its stigma and becoming normal and accepted by both employees and employers. — CBS News
Employees with knowledge, ambition, ideas and passion are continuously seeking new positions and being recruited for job opportunities elsewhere. For businesses owners who are unprepared, this means that knowledge is leaving their organizations on an ongoing basis. And within industries such as manufacturing and distribution, which involve complex processes that take time and experience to learn and master, this loss comes at a great cost.
This translates into a need for an effective system for knowledge transfer.
Wanted: a new system
If the loss of experienced employees and the recruiting of new employees is an inevitability, what can you do today to keep that knowledge in your organization, speed up the learning curve for new employees, and foster an environment of collaboration among all generations?
Exact Synergy CRM provides the solution.
Exceptional Software Solutions LLC has used Exact Synergy to transform our customers’ hidden knowledge into explicit knowledge. At its core, the function of Exact Synergy is to create a history of documents, transactions, events, customer information, employee information, communication and a space for collaboration. It captures the processes of your organization, embeds these processes — and the knowledge that drives them — and exposes them in one transparent system. The result: an open environment of knowledge sharing.
With Exact Synergy, when an employee leaves your organization, it doesn’t have to mean that the knowledge has to go too, as the knowledge is organized and embedded into the system. And onboarding a new employee doesn’t have to mean re-creating knowledge from scratch. It now simply means training the new employee on how to access the captured knowledge in Exact Synergy.
However, running Exact Synergy alongside your ERP system alone will not solve the issue of knowledge share and knowledge transfer. Within the organization, the expectation must be set to record knowledge into the system, and the processes and workflow must run smoothly and effectively.
This poses a challenge for many, as the capabilities for process and workflow in Exact Synergy are numerous. So numerous, in fact, that it’s often difficult to know where to start.
With over 300 combined years of experience in Exact and Exact Macola ERP and CRM products, Exceptional Software Solutions LLC guides our customers every step of the way. From diagnosing complex process and communication issues to designing workflow systems within Exact Synergy, our team of professionals loves to create solutions that help your business retain its valuable knowledge and thus flourish and grow.
While issues of knowledge share and knowledge transfer are inevitable in today’s business environment, getting these processes right can mean a vast savings in time, effort and resources — and an advantage over those organizations that haven’t acknowledged these issues yet.
Read more about Exact Synergy in this online brochure and through other blogs in this series:
- Exact Synergy: A Beauty and a Beast
- Shortening Sales Cycles with Exact Synergy
- Using Exact Synergy to Meet ISO 9000 Certification Standards
- Reclaiming Your Finance and Accounting Departments with Exact Synergy’s Customer Portals
- How Technology Can Improve Employee Relations and Engagement
Ready to transform your business with Exact Synergy?
Contact us at tod@esoftsol.net or visit our website at http://www.esoftsol.net/exact-synergy-crm.php.
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