Are you a team leader, manager or business owner? Imagine this scenario: A specialist technician has been with your company for 25 years. They’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge about your plant and machinery. One day, they win the Lotto jackpot and leave the company the very next day. Just like that, your business loses unique and critical knowledge that is hard (and costly) to replace.

This might sound like an extreme example, but it underscores that capturing and documenting knowledge is essential for business continuity. Here’s how to capture the knowledge in your team, business unit or organisation in three easy steps.

1. Map your business processes

The first step is to map out your business processes. Start with the highest level function (sales and marketing, manufacturing, warehousing) and gradually break it down into more detail. Identify departments, teams or roles involved and map out what they do and how they interact. Think of it as creating a visual representation of how various parts of the organisation fit together.

Business process mapping helps identify key areas where critical knowledge is held and can highlight potential risks if that knowledge is lost. For example, if one person manages a crucial aspect of your supply chain, this is where you would prioritise your documentation effort. It also helps you develop strategies to mitigate the risk, for example, by training a back-up or restructuring the role.

2. Develop detailed procedures

Process maps show the big picture and how multiple roles or functions interact. Detailed procedures, on the other hand, are step-by-step instructions that explain how to perform specific tasks. They ensure that anyone can pick up where someone else left off, even if they don’t have the same level of experience or expertise.

For example, if your expert technician has a unique way of troubleshooting specialised machinery, document the procedures with enough information that a technician with less experience can complete the task.

3. Manage your documentation

Nothing is as constant as change. Processes and procedures evolve as your business responds to changes and strives for continuous improvement. If you don’t maintain your documentation, your investment will be wasted.

This is where a content management policy comes in. It defines what needs to be documented, how it should be done and who is responsible. It should specify branding guidelines or templates for consistency and set out when content must be reviewed. A clear policy ensures knowledge is not just filed away and forgotten, but kept up-to-date and relevant.

Safer and more efficient

Effective knowledge capture isn’t just about reducing risk and preventing chaos when a key employee leaves; it’s about creating a resilient and efficient organisation. By mapping your processes and documenting procedures, you’re not just safeguarding against loss; you’re also standardising best practices and improving the efficiency and performance of your business.

Need help to get started?

Whether you want to bring in the experts or upskill your staff to map and document the processes and procedures in your business, Tactics can help you find a cost-effective solution.