Knowledge management practices to minimize the impact of staff turnover

Abstract

Skilled staff turnover plays a wide role in continuous knowledge loss in manufacturing organizations. The result of staff turnover impacts organizational performance, productivity, effectiveness, employee performance and knowledge. The importance of managing an organization’s knowledge is a need in organizations. This research identified the importance of knowledge management in the trailer manufacturing sector with high staff turnover. This enables project managers to take project knowledge management into practice within the organization. This study uses a qualitative research approach. The aim of the study was achieved by a case study research strategy along with 16 semi-structured interviews, which were performed as a data collection technique. Data were collected from the case study organisation, focusing on knowledge management methodologies used during the project phases and identifying the impact of staff turnover on organizational knowledge. The knowledge management techniques vary from one project phase to another project phase. Based on the outcome of this research, project managers can identify the most effective knowledge management techniques to be used at each phase. According to the study, the most frequently used KM techniques in the planning stage were “Learning & Idea Capturing” and “Refer Knowledge Base”. The most prominently used KM techniques in the designing stage were “Brainstorming” and “Learning & Idea Capturing”. While the most frequently used KM technique in the building, testing, and launching stages was found to be “Refer Knowledge Base”. From this research study, project managers can identify the critical areas affected by skilled staff turnover, how to prepare in advance and minimize knowledge loss.