Mentoring
Transfer of experience between a seasoned employee and a less experienced colleague.
What it means
Mentoring is a personal form of transferring tacit knowledge. It works well, but it's time-consuming, hard to scale, and dependent on the mentor's availability.
Why it matters
Mentoring remains irreplaceable, but it isn't enough on its own. Combining mentoring with captured know-how significantly speeds up onboarding.
A real-world example
A foreman spends two hours a week with a new hire. With a structured knowledge base, that time can focus on what genuinely needs personal explanation.
The managed transfer of practical knowledge from one person or team to another.
Passing knowledge between people, teams, projects, or locations.
The process by which a new employee gains the knowledge and context needed to work independently.
A structured start for a new employee that includes transferring the know-how their role requires.
The transfer of practical insights between colleagues, shifts, sites, or projects.