Why Knowledge Management Is The Enabler For Remote Work In 2022

Although businesses around the globe have cancelled existing plans due to the Omicron variant, discussions about the return-to-office continue. Most of the discussions revolve around the argument that the past two years have proved that remote working is suitable for employees and productivity. However, it is clear that employees often encounter emotional challenges and also face various technical and non-technical issues like password change/reset, software installations, laptop configuration, access to documents that need instant support. If those issues are not addressed quickly, they can hinder employee productivity and the business ROI. It is fascinating to note that collaboration and/or communication have the most significant impact on effectiveness. As the workplace environment changes, businesses will need to ensure remote employees can retain their efficiency. Through the help of a knowledge management system, it is possible to accomplish the same thing.

The right knowledge management solution will equip your remote team with the tools to self-serve solutions whenever problems arise, thus decreasing the need for internal collaboration and communication. If your company has made remote work a regular part of its operations, you should take a look at a knowledge management system.

What is knowledge management?

The existence of an organization depends on knowledge and collaboration. In business, knowledge management can be defined as a process, strategy and tool used to deliver the right, relatable, and relevant information to employees at the right time. Your employees will be better equipped to perform their roles if they have more information at their fingertips. It is difficult to maintain knowledge and keep it current since big data sets change with every technological advance. Thus, having a knowledge management tool is critical to the growth and development of an organization.

Read: Knowledge management system can bring huge benefits to your company 

Why knowledge management matters today?

According to CIO magazine, Following the unprecedented events of the last two years, employees are reevaluating priorities and rethinking their relationship to work. Lack of instant support, lack of motivation, and the feeling of isolation at work are forcing employees to quit. There have been more resignations and job switches than ever before. Gartner's 2022 Planning Guide for Collaboration and End-User Technologies states that internal knowledge management is essential for productivity and continuity in this remote work environment.

As per the statistics of SHRM, poor knowledge sharing practices cost Fortune 500 companies about $31.5 billion a year. Thus, it is important to leverage knowledge management while utilizing the right tools to harness the power of technology. Moreover, an effective knowledge management strategy in a remote working environment allows every employee to be empowered to succeed by identifying and facilitating frictionless access to information.

According to TSIA report, around 74 % of organizations believe that effective knowledge management practices boost productivity by 10 to 40%. This indicates that a robust knowledge management system ensures that your employees remain productive while working remotely.

Knowledge management factors that improve remote team performance

1. Quick answers to your questions
   
   If you work from home, you do not have the option of a simple shoulder tap when you have a doubt. If you want an answer right away, you have no choice but to send an email and wait for who knows how long. Although instant messaging tools have made this process faster and more efficient, some questions are still overlooked and left unanswered. This can lead to miscommunication and errors and reduce employee productivity due to waiting times. Instead of back-and-forth emails and messaging, you can get all the answers to your questions with a centralized knowledge management system. Your remote workers can learn by themselves and fix their issues quickly and with a lower waiting time by providing access to frequently asked questions (FAQs).
   
   
2. Provides a single source of information
   
   It is possible for knowledge to change as it passes from one person to another. Within seconds, you might find yourself given multiple answers to a single question. Because your teams work remotely, it is more difficult for you to control this information flow. They may be left even more confused than before. They might even receive inaccurate information from the wrong sources. Investing in robust knowledge management will help you avoid this scenario. You could use software that would compile all of the pertinent information and make it accessible to your staff. In this way, remote workers can get the information they need from the right source no matter where they are located.
   
   
3. Reduces training costs and time
   
   Training newly onboarded employees and existing employees is a time-consuming process. When employees are in different locations, the process can be even more complicated. The cost and time associated with delivering manuals or handbooks door-to-door would be too great. Similarly, travelling back to the office for training could prove inefficient in the long run.
   
   Training your remote employees is now more practical and efficient with knowledge management systems. All you have to do is compile, upload, and publish all the manuals, and supplemental training guides. Hence, your employees will have access to them from home and study them at their own pace, not interrupting their work.
   
   
4. Increases productivity and efficiency
   
   Despite being out of the office, knowledge management can help to increase your remote employees' productivity and efficiency. If they run into problems while at home, it allows them to self-service. They could save much time by skipping the long, tedious process of reporting to their supervisors, sending tickets to the appropriate department, and waiting until someone replies. When working remotely, the process could be slowed even more. However, its most significant benefit is integrating training and learning into users' workflows. The knowledge database allows them to do it quickly between their tasks and responsibilities.
   
   
5. Reduces the possibility of error
   
   Your remote employees benefit from preserving knowledge and standardizing processes when they can implement your organization's best practices and most effective procedures at their respective homes. Therefore, this could reduce the risk of errors and problems in the long run. Ultimately, it won't just be another guide. When they carry out their duties at home, they usually follow these best practices. This, in turn, could ensure your business runs smoothly.
   
   

Conclusion  

It's no doubt that technology can enhance efficiency while also bringing geographically separated employees closer together. By implementing a modern service desk like Rezolve.ai, you will stay on top of the latest technological trends and stay competitive in your industry.

Rezolve.ai's Twitter-age knowledge management system ensures that employees always get the right help no matter how complex their needs are. 

Get in touch with our team today to learn how our knowledge management system can enhance collaboration in remote teams.