It is not uncommon for companies to experience employee turnover and, in today’s engineering and contracting world, that’s quite the understatement. As a Chief Operating Officer, I know firsthand that, when any employee leaves, an incredible amount of valuable institutional knowledge and customer data leaves with them. This knowledge, which is only acquired through years of experience with a particular company and relationships with customers, can be difficult if not impossible to replace. Luckily, there are several strategies that can help your business retain institutional and customer knowledge when employees leave.

Documenting Processes and Procedures

One of the most effective ways of retaining institutional knowledge is by documenting processes and procedures. This could include anything from technical processes used to complete projects, to organizational policies and procedures regarding customer service or safety protocols. Documenting these processes helps ensure that all employees have access to the same information and can refer back to it for future reference if needed.  In addition, it allows new employees to quickly get up-to-speed on existing practices, thus reducing the risk of important information getting lost when an employee leaves the company.  

Cross-Training Employees

Cross-training employees across departments and areas of expertise is another effective way of preserving institutional knowledge within a company. By having multiple people who understand how different systems or processes work, you can rest assured that there will always be someone who knows what’s going on if an employee leaves without notice or sufficient time to train someone else before their departure. Additionally, cross-training employees helps ensure that everyone has a full understanding of how every aspect of the business works so they can more easily collaborate and problem solve collectively as a team. 

Creating Longer Training Programs

Additionally, creating longer training programs for new hires can help your business retain institutional knowledge even after an employee leaves their position. By providing comprehensive training programs that cover everything from technical skills to organizational policies, you give new hires the best chance at success while still ensuring that important pieces of information don’t get lost in transition when an employee decides to move on. 

Utilizing Cloud-based Software

Perhaps the easiest solution to implement in the contracting and engineering world is a centralized, cloud-based database. Cloud-based technology provides the necessary customer data and information that is accessible to existing staff, neatly organized, and secure from those who are no longer part of the organization. For example, in engineering and contracting, cloud-based databases allow for distribution of customer contacts, building information, equipment data, and contracts across organizational teams, making it easy for everyone to access the information they need. Additionally, as cloud use grows more popular among employers, cloud-based database management systems can connect businesses with new staff members quickly; this allows new employees to absorb vital institutional and customer information without depending on external sources or past employees. By leveraging cloud-based databases for business needs, knowledge remains centralized and intact regardless of personnel changes in the company.

Employee turnover is inevitable; however, it doesn’t have to mean losing valuable institutional and customer knowledge in the process. By taking proactive steps such as documenting processes and procedures, cross-training employees across departments, and developing longer training programs for new hires, you can help ensure that your business retains its valuable know-how even when key individuals decide to move on. Furthermore, utilization of cloud-based software is critical in the engineering and contracting space – especially when considering the fact that so much vital customer data lives on an employee’s smartphone and/or laptop; EMPEQ’s Fast Site Survey platform allows you to ensure all crucial customer building and equipment information is always centralized, organized, and, most importantly, accessible even after employees leave. With “shirt changing” and retirements at an all-time high in the industry, start protecting your company from data loss from excessive employee turnover with a free demo of Fast Site Survey today – it just might make all the difference!