How Knowledge Management and Training Improves the Onboarding Process

Organizations pour significant time and resources into training new hires, but have you ever considered the exact cost? According to the Association for Talent Development, companies spent $954 per learner in 2023 compared with $1,207 per learner in 2022. This investment still underscores companies’ priority on effective onboarding, even as they seek to optimize costs, which is crucial for new hire retention and productivity.

However, to maximize the onboarding process, integrating training and knowledge management strategies can provide a centralized, referenceable source of information rather than overwhelming new hires with an initial flood of information that may soon be forgotten.

What is Knowledge Management?

Knowledge management is a systematic approach to capturing, distributing, and preserving intellectual capital within an organization. This framework encourages knowledge sharing and collaboration, significantly impacting employee training and development. Incorporating knowledge management into your onboarding strategy enables new hires to integrate quickly and contribute meaningfully to your company culture.

A robust knowledge management and training strategy, supported by a well-organized knowledge management system (KMS), can enhance the onboarding process in several key ways.

Easily Connect New Hires to Existing Knowledge 

Finding specific information as a new employee can be challenging. Establishing a central repository for company knowledge, introduced early in the onboarding process, ensures that new hires know where to find the information they need and exactly when they need it. This efficient access to knowledge can significantly shorten the onboarding process and reduce training costs, leading to quicker integration and productivity.

4 Benefits of Knowledge Sharing in the Workplace

Knowledge sharing involves exchanging information across the workplace. It encompasses both explicit knowledge, like documented best practices, and tacit knowledge, which is gained through experience and often harder to articulate. By embedding knowledge sharing into your company culture, you foster a workforce that actively collaborates, leading to improved productivity and a consistent customer experience.  

1. Capture FAQs to Reduce Repetition

A knowledge management platform can be a growing repository for frequently asked questions (FAQs). Encouraging new hires to consult the platform first when they have questions reduces the burden on managers and subject matter experts. It ensures that the knowledge base evolves, making the onboarding process smoother for future employees.

2. Measure Engagement with Knowledge

Tracking how employees interact with your knowledge management platform is essential. Analytics tools can show the most valuable content, highlight knowledge gaps, and provide insights into employee engagement with the platform. This data is critical for refining the training and knowledge management strategy and ensuring it meets the needs of both new and veteran employees.

3. Increase Social Collaboration Across Teams

The first few weeks on the job can be overwhelming for many new hires. A knowledge management system that facilitates group collaboration among employees going through onboarding together can create a supportive environment where they can share knowledge and ask questions. This approach fosters psychological safety and encourages ongoing participation and engagement.

4. Allow Employees to Self-Serve

A vital feature of an effective knowledge management system is its ability to empower employees to search for and access the information they need independently. By implementing a system with a powerful search engine, customizable structure, and mobile accessibility, you enable employees to help themselves, which benefits the entire organization.

Look for the following features to help with this:

• AI-Powered Search Engine: Utilize an AI-powered enterprise search engine within your central knowledge repository to enhance search capabilities. This advanced search functionality not only deep indexes all content—making everything searchable, including videos and attachments—but also learns from user behavior to improve search results over time. This ensures that employees can find what they need, even if they don’t know the exact file name or title.
• Smart Configurable Structure: While all content is searchable, AI-driven categorization can further refine the search experience. Look for a platform that uses AI to automatically suggest custom categories and filters that align with how your organization’s operation shows people search for information. This ensures that everyone, from new hires to veteran employees, can quickly locate what they’re looking for.
• Mobile Accessibility: Ensure your knowledge management platform is mobile-accessible, allowing employees to access information anytime, anywhere through their mobile browser. This flexibility is essential, where on-the-go access to knowledge can significantly enhance productivity and support employees who need information outside of traditional office settings.

Using Knowledge Management to Improve Training and Development for Employees

Effective training and knowledge management are critical for the success of your onboarding process. By adopting a knowledge management system, you create a foundation that supports continuous learning and collaboration. This system not only facilitates ways to improve training and development but also allows employees to work at their full potential by tapping into their coworkers’ collective knowledge.

Tips for Developing a Knowledge Management System at Your Organization

The benefits of adopting a knowledge management and training strategy are clear, but implementing a successful system requires careful planning:

• Educate Your Leaders: Develop knowledge management champions within your organization who can promote knowledge sharing and encourage participation. Consider formal training courses or certifications to equip these leaders with the necessary skills. Reputable courses (such as those offered by IMA International or the KM Institute) can help leaders develop effective knowledge management policies, create a company culture that prioritizes knowledge sharing, and understand how to use knowledge management to achieve organizational goals. 
• Establish a Knowledge Management Framework: Create processes for collecting, sharing, and managing knowledge. Define what content is valuable and how it should be maintained.
• Integrate Knowledge Sharing into Your Culture: Encourage continuous learning by involving leadership, offering ongoing training, and rewarding employees who contribute to the knowledge base.

The Long-Term Impact of Training and Knowledge Management on Onboarding

Investing in a comprehensive training and knowledge management strategy is about enhancing the onboarding process and building a resilient, engaged workforce committed to your organization’s success. The average cost per hire was $4,129 in 2019 but rose to $4,700 in 2023—a 14% increase—highlighting the growing expense of acquiring new talent. With the cost of turnover often ranging from 16% to 20% of an employee’s annual salary, it’s more important than ever to focus on retention.

Integrating knowledge management into your onboarding strategy can reduce onboarding time, improve employee retention, and ultimately drive long-term success. Effective knowledge management and learning practices are more than just processes—they are strategic assets that help you meet your most important organizational goals.

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About the Author

Betsy Anderson

Betsy leads the customer success and implementation teams at Bloomfire. Passionate about the people side of knowledge engagement and knowledge sharing, Betsy shares real-world experience with the challenges faced by companies with a knowledge management problem.