A Technology-Based Method to Preserve and Manage Your Organization's Tribal Knowledge

Water and wastewater organizations are faced with several critical issues related to their operations. First, the expected deficit in trained technical staff, as Baby Boom generation workers retire, will stress the organization's ability to maintain an adequately trained workforce. Second, the need to expand both water and wastewater facilities for continued growth will increase the technology requirements in these facilities, as well as increase the labor required to operate them. Experienced staff are leaving, the pool of trained and entry-level staff is shrinking, and growth will demand an even higher number of staff than current levels. What can organizations do to cope with these expected problems? They can maximize the effectiveness of their current operations, capture and retain the “tribal knowledge” of their senior staff, and deploy current and future staff in the most efficient ways possible. Additional staff may still be required, but adding staff to an efficient and organized system is far easier than hiring only well-trained or senior staff.