It is an expected fact that there is a future in everything and for everyone be it an individual, a country, a product, a technology, an industry, and/or a practice such as Knowledge Sharing. One can go into one’s future in two distinct ways. One, by being a mute spectator and letting themselves go with the flow without taking control of one’s direction. This could be due to numerous reasons starting from disability to taking consequential action. This is called Reactive Mode. Two, take active control of the events and define the way the future unfolds. This is known as Proactive Mode. At an individual level, one may have complete control over one’s future but when we are talking about a complex level where multiple individuals or factors are involved, such as a company, managing and controlling the events that define the future is a lot more difficult.

Throughout its organic life as an idea and as a practice, Knowledge Management or Knowledge Sharing largely remained a mute spectator whose route map was dictated by different forces of management. Researchers and academicians had very limited roles in its development and evolution.

Future of Knowledge Sharing in Reactive Mode

If the development of Knowledge Sharing continues in the same fashion as it is now, we cannot expect any drastic changes to happen. Knowledge sharing will continue to exist as a function that aids content management and social networking. The evolution of technology and the growth of tech companies will continue to drive the movement of Knowledge Sharing. This should not be interpreted in the negative sense that technology is regressive for the practice. Soon there are going to be Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven tools that aid knowledge sharing practices in an organization. Applications of Natural Learning Processes (NLP), Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies will positively benefit how information is going to be documented and shared. Employees will be able to access information more seamlessly and with more relevance.

All of this will only affect the findability of knowledge on the database. It misses out on the key aspects of knowledge sharing and will continue to languish as a part of HR or operation functions. Now let us look at how knowledge sharing will evolve in a Proactive Mode.

Future of Knowledge Sharing in Proactive Mode

Various studies have shown that 90% of employees want an opportunity to share knowledge. With the rise in siloed and disparate teams due to the rise of remote working, it has become very much important to acquire the right digital tools to overcome barriers to knowledge sharing. AI is the best thing that can happen to knowledge sharing. But this means that the company has to take control of its knowledge management functions or risk becoming complacent in its growth.

Knowledge sharing function will be overseen by the HR department and will be an overarching function they have to carry out along with the process team. The responsibilities of the Knowledge Team (KT) will be to build and maintain a learning culture in the company, increase revenue, drive down costs, ensure effectiveness, maintain thought leadership, and grow core competency. They will directly report to the CEO and will play a strategic role. The competitiveness of the organization as a whole will lean heavily on the maturity and effectiveness of the KT. 

Let us divide the functions of the KT into various levels for better understanding, i.e. Organizational, Task, and Employee Levels.

Organizational Level

1. Build and Sustain Competitiveness: The KT has to close skill gaps in the organization and ensure that the skill levels of the organization match industry standards. This sustains competitiveness.
2. Facilitate Standardization: Ensure that the organization lacks unevenness of knowledge and there is a balance of knowledge levels throughout so that similar tasks could be performed by multiple centers or the organization. Additionally, the parameters for performance evaluation remain more or less the same. In short, facilitate standardization in best practices, SOPs, building relevant tools and employee training, etc.

Task Level

1. Build Maturity in performing tasks: This function is closely related to “Build and Sustain Competitiveness” but has been added to Task Level. In the function, the main focus is on building maturity in the ability of the organization in performing critical tasks, done by embedding knowledge in people, processes, and tools.
2. Facilitate Transition to Automation: Every organization is in the process of turning the necessary organizational process into automated procedures, if possible. It will be the responsibility of KT to facilitate continuous learning and embed this knowledge.

Employee Level

Helping Employees perform their tasks: Aid employees in learning the acquired knowledge and applying them to their daily tasks. Employees have to be trained in leveraging not only the knowledge but also the knowledge of their employees.