The importance of sharing knowledge probably doesn’t need to be said, but we wrap up key reasons why it’s essential to the workplace.
Knowledge truly is power—but only if it’s shared.
Imagine an office where every team member holds a piece of the puzzle, yet no one puts it together.
Without collaboration and the free flow of ideas, even the most talented individuals can find themselves stuck, reinventing the wheel or missing critical insights.
Sharing knowledge in the workplace isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a cornerstone of innovation, efficiency, and growth.
When employees pool their expertise, you’re left with a dynamic culture where everyone learns, grows, and excels.
Whether it’s through mentoring, collaborative tools, or simply open communication, fostering an environment of knowledge sharing can transform the way teams operate.
But when it comes to learning management systems, it can be hard to facilitate sharing knowledge.
94% of employees say that they would stay at a company longer if there is investment in their learning and development.
And while sharing knowledge might not feel like an obvious form of investment, it can be.
Learning can be a really impactful form of investment for employees.
In this blog, we’ll be covering:
- What knowledge sharing is
- 9 reasons why sharing knowledge is important
- Easy ways to share knowledge in the workplace
Let’s get started.
What is knowledge sharing?
Sharing knowledge simply means the act of exchanging information, experiences, insights, and expertise with others.
It involves transmitting knowledge from one person or group to another, either verbally, in writing, or through various digital platforms.
Knowledge sharing encompasses a wide range of activities, including teaching, mentoring, collaborating on projects, documenting best practices, and engaging in discussions or workshops.
At its core, knowledge sharing is about fostering learning, growth, and innovation by making valuable knowledge accessible and transferable to those who can benefit from it.
9 reasons why sharing knowledge is important
Sharing knowledge provides a whole host of resources for your learners to grow and develop.
Applying tangible benefits to shared knowledge can help you make a better business case for improved platform functionality.
Sharing knowledge is not just beneficial—it’s essential for personal, professional, and societal development.
It fosters empowerment, innovation, community building, and continuous improvement, ultimately leading to a brighter and more interconnected future for all.
Here are 9 key reasons why sharing knowledge between your learners is so important:
1. Empowerment
Knowledge sharing empowers individuals by providing them with the tools and information they need to make informed decisions.
This empowerment is crucial in personal growth, career development, and overall well-being.
2. Fostering innovation
When knowledge is shared openly, it creates an environment conducive to innovation.
Different perspectives and ideas converge, leading to the creation of new solutions, products, and services that can improve lives and drive progress.
3. Building stronger communities
Knowledge sharing strengthens communities by fostering collaboration and cooperation among members.
It creates a sense of unity and common purpose, leading to collective growth and resilience.
4. Accelerating learning
Sharing knowledge accelerates the learning process by providing access to a wide range of resources, experiences, and expertise.
This rapid learning cycle enables individuals and organizations to stay ahead in a fast-paced world.
5. Creating opportunities
Knowledge sharing opens doors to new opportunities. It enables individuals to showcase their skills and expertise, build networks, and connect with like-minded people who can offer mentorship, partnerships, or career advancements.
6. Enhancing problem-solving skills
When knowledge is shared openly, it enhances problem-solving skills by tapping into collective intelligence.
Different perspectives and insights can lead to more effective and innovative solutions to complex challenges.
7. Preserving and enhancing culture
Knowledge sharing plays a crucial role in preserving and enhancing culture.
It allows traditions, stories, and practices to be passed down from generation to generation, ensuring cultural continuity and enrichment.
8. Boosting organisational performance
In a professional context, knowledge sharing boosts organisational performance by improving communication, collaboration, and knowledge management practices.
It enables teams to work more efficiently and effectively towards common goals.
9. Promoting continuous improvement
Knowledge sharing promotes a culture of continuous improvement.
By sharing successes, failures, and lessons learned, individuals and organizations can learn from past experiences and strive for ongoing growth and excellence.
Easy ways to share knowledge in the workplace
From leveraging digital tools and fostering mentorship programs to organising interactive workshops and embracing a culture of collaboration, there are a number of practical strategies that can empower your team to share knowledge seamlessly and create a culture of continuous learning.
Here are several effective ways for people to share knowledge:
1. Regular meetings and brainstorming sessions
Organise regular team meetings or brainstorming sessions where team members can share ideas, experiences, and insights on projects, challenges, and best practices.
2. Internal communication platforms
Utilise internal communication platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or dedicated project management tools like Asana or Trello to share updates, documents, and collaborate on tasks.
Of course, your LMS is a fantastic resource too. You can connect comms tools to your LMS to aid collaboration and conversations too.
3. Knowledge sharing workshops and training programmes
Conduct knowledge sharing workshops or training programs where employees can learn from subject matter experts within the organisation and share their own expertise with colleagues.
With Totara Engage (which now comes as part of a Totara LMS) you can also set up some key collaboration features like resource playlists, forums and comments.
With these, you can allow your colleagues to collaborate directly within your learning platform.
💡 Pro Tip
Want to see more on Totara Engage? There are a whole host of features you can use to better engage your employees whether that’s across your learning content, or just between teams.
Learn about Totara Engage
4. Resource playlists and knowledge base
Encourage employees to document their processes, lessons learned, and best practices in a centralised knowledge base. This allows easy access to information for everyone in the organisation.
You can also use comments on learning content and resource playlists to share notes, useful content and collaborate.
5. Mentorship and peer learning
Establish mentorship programs where experienced employees can mentor newer hires or colleagues in specific skills or areas of expertise.
Encourage peer learning and knowledge exchange through informal mentorship relationships.
6. Cross-functional collaboration
Promote cross-functional collaboration by encouraging employees from different departments or teams to work together on projects.
This facilitates knowledge sharing across different areas of the organisation.
7. Brown bag sessions and lunch-and-learn events
Organise informal brown bag sessions or lunch-and-learn events where employees can share insights, research findings, or new tools and technologies they’ve discovered.
8. Recognition and rewards
Recognise and reward employees who actively participate in knowledge sharing activities, whether through formal recognition programs, incentives, or acknowledgment in team meetings.
With the right tool, you can also assign points based on activities. BuildEmpire has built gamification options including points and leaderboards to help you build a sense of competition in your learning.
Related: Level up your learning with gamification
9. Feedback and reflection
Encourage a culture of feedback and reflection where employees regularly share feedback on processes, projects, and initiatives.
Related: What is constructive feedback?
This feedback loop helps improve knowledge sharing practices and promotes continuous learning.
By implementing these strategies, organisations can create a culture of knowledge sharing that not only enhances individual and team performance but also fosters innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the workplace.
Wrapping up
Creating a learning culture in the workplace doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right tools in place, you can create easy ways to build community right in your LMS.
From forums and Q&As to content playlists, you can add features and plugins to your learning platform to help share knowledge between your learners.
Want to see some of the features we use to help customers achieve knowledge sharing?
Book a demo to speak to our team and see our BuildEmpire Edition in action.