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Discover 11 targeted knowledge-sharing topics designed to enrich team sessions and drive collaborative success.
While it's often said that some meetings could just be emails, the truth is not all can.
Team sessions are the bedrock of knowledge sharing in organizations and help build a cohesive unit — especially in this remote-work age. Yet, if your team is tuning out rather than tuning in, it's a signal to recalibrate your approach.
A team session needs to be more than a checkbox on a weekly calendar. With Gartner highlighting that 47% of digital workers find it hard to access information necessary for their jobs, the cost of poor knowledge sharing is not just a matter of disengagement, but also a tangible impact on your profits.
This article outlines 11 compelling knowledge-sharing topics designed to revitalize team sessions and encourage open communication.
In any team, sharing knowledge is key to overcoming challenges and hitting goals. It taps into the collective expertise of the group, turning individual know-how into a shared resource.
There are many ways to make information a one-for-all thing in your workplace. Here are a few examples:
Using these sharing methods can help fix problems like messy info and knowledge silos.
Next, we'll attempt to address one of the most challenging questions regarding knowledge sharing within organizations: What Are Good Topics for Knowledge Sharing?
But first…
A knowledge sharing session is when people in a company meet to exchange what they know. It's like a team huddle where everyone shares tips, stories, and ideas. These sessions help build a team where sharing knowledge with others is a regular part of the job.
Examples of knowledge sharing team sessions include:
These sessions create a knowledge sharing culture where everyone can contribute and learn from each other.
A typical knowledge sharing session is structured but flexible. However, it usually involves:
Knowledge sharing sessions help tackle the costly issue of information silos, which can bleed a whopping $47 million from a large company's coffers every year. On a personal level, they reclaim valuable time — up to 3.6 hours per day per employee spent just searching for information.
Plus, these sessions are antidotes to collaboration woes. With 86% of employees citing poor teamwork as the root of workplace failures and 39% feeling their company doesn't collaborate enough, it's clear that encouraging an environment of shared team knowledge can lead to more success.
With these in mind, focusing on what gets shared in these sessions is essential.
The next part of our discussion will focus on identifying the topics that hold the most value for knowledge sharing within team sessions.
We've seen the benefits of knowledge sharing and the staggering cost of poor knowledge sharing, but it's one thing to know the value and another to put it into practice. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started/ getting people to open up and exchange what they know.
Effective knowledge sharing topics can jumpstart this process. They draw on common experiences and encourage interest in new areas.
So, what makes a topic worth bringing to the table? It should be something that stops the financial bleed, something that brings people together, working smarter not harder.
Here are some examples of knowledge sharing topics for effective team sessions:
Sharing knowledge in the workplace goes beyond just talking about the day-to-day. It also involves keeping the team clued in on the big picture stuff, like what's hot in the industry and the next big thing that's brewing.
For example, if you're in tech, it could be the latest in artificial intelligence or a new coding language that's picking up steam.
Team knowledge sharing also involves looking back at what you've all been doing. You're not just patting yourselves on the back for a job well done but also about figuring out where things got sticky or blocked.
Say a team just wrapped up a project—what worked? What was a headache? Sharing this can help the team do better next time.
Read: Why Your Team Needs Retrospective Meetings & How To Run Them
Cross-training means sharing knowledge or skills across different roles. Cross-training ensures everyone in your team has an idea about one or two roles outside theirs. It also keeps things fresh.
Imagine a graphic designer teaching basic design principles to the sales team, so they get the visuals just right in their pitches, or a project manager sharing the secrets of a well-oiled project timeline with everyone on the team. That’s cross-training.
Problem-solving workshops are a hands-on approach to knowledge sharing in the workplace. These sessions bring team members (sometimes supervised by a neutral guide) together to dissect and solve problems, such as complicated customer issues or clunky workflows.
The perks of these workshops are two-fold: they double as team-building exercises and offer hands-on learning of new problem-solving techniques.
In these sessions, team members swap tips on what's working well. It's a chance to highlight those 'aha' moments that made tasks easier or more effective.
For instance, maybe there’s a fresh approach to managing client portfolios. Maybe it’s one that’s cut down on errors.
Sharing these insights helps everyone level up their work game. It’s a core part of knowledge sharing best practices—finding and discussing the smart, efficient ways we do our jobs.
Personal growth is important for motivation. These sessions can be a time when folks share their career paths or personal development stories, like how a manager climbed the ladder or how a team member learned a new skill that helped them get ahead.
It is also a time for your team members to share their career objectives and plans for their future.
Smooth onboarding is key to getting new hires up to speed. Sharing stories about first days, how-to guides for essential software, or tips on navigating company culture can make all the difference. You can also use tools, like knowledge sharing software, to help pass on company info to new folks.
Nothing boosts a team's morale like hearing about wins—big or small. Whether it's landing a tough client, a successful product launch, or even personal milestones like completing a certification, sharing these moments can inspire and motivate everyone to aim high and celebrate each other's successes.
Read: 25 Excellent Ways to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day
Creating a space for open feedback is crucial for growth. In these sessions, teams can discuss what's working and what's not, from daily processes to workplace strategies.
Using knowledge sharing tools can help streamline this process, making it easier to collect and analyze feedback for ongoing improvements. This continuous loop of feedback and action helps keep the team evolving and staying ahead of the curve.
Read: Let's Talk Retention: The Benefits of Employee Feedback
Sharing insights about customers and market trends is vital for staying ahead. This could involve discussing customer feedback, analyzing market shifts, or examining competitors' strategies and how to counter them. It creates healthy competition and drives your team towards a common goal.
Focusing on health and wellness can be a refreshing topic for knowledge sharing. This might include discussions on maintaining work-life balance, stress management techniques, or sharing experiences with healthy workplace practices. Such sessions can lead to improved overall well-being of the team, creating a more productive work environment.
These topics are just one half of the puzzle; you are the other half. How you introduce and engage with these topics during team sessions can make a real difference. Approach each topic with openness and encourage participation from all team members. Create a safe space for sharing, where ideas and experiences are valued.
Want to learn other ways to enhance your team's sessions? Check out "39 Best Knowledge Sharing Questions For Your Questionnaires" for great ideas to get the conversation flowing.
PS: Don't forget, knowledge sharing platforms can help facilitate these knowledge sharing sessions.
Assembly offers a suite of features that make organizing, documenting, and following up on these discussions seamless. It’s easy-to-use, modern, and secure intranet makes communication, collaboration, and engagement more efficient. Some features that might interest you include:
These features can play a crucial role in how you broach and handle these knowledge sharing topics during team sessions, so each session is productive and engaging.
Consider your team's current challenges, interests, and goals. Conduct surveys or hold informal discussions to gauge their learning preferences and identify knowledge gaps.
Frequency depends on your team's dynamics and workload. Weekly or bi-weekly sessions are common, but adjust based on the amount of information to share and your team's availability.
Create a safe and supportive environment. Utilize anonymous surveys or breakout groups for initial contributions. Encourage active listening and acknowledge participation beyond just presenting.
Utilize collaboration tools like Assembly to document discussions, store recordings, and share summaries. Encourage note-taking and create a central knowledge repository for easy access.
Monitor engagement metrics like attendance, participation levels, and feedback surveys. Analyze the impact on team collaboration, problem-solving, and project outcomes.
Explore online resources and workshops on topics like team building, communication, and knowledge management. Consider industry best practices and seek advice from experienced facilitators.
Emphasize the benefits of collective knowledge for everyone's growth and success. Frame knowledge sharing as a collaborative effort, not individual competition.
Utilize online collaboration tools like video conferencing platforms, shared documents, and knowledge management software. Encourage virtual knowledge cafes or breakout rooms to facilitate interaction.
Consider industry-specific or role-specific topics, such as sharing best practices for using new software, customer case studies, or insights from attending conferences or training sessions.
Integrate knowledge sharing into your team culture. Encourage informal knowledge sharing through casual conversations, buddy systems, or mentorship programs. Celebrate success stories and recognize individuals who actively contribute to the team's knowledge base.
Knowledge sharing is a vital component of a thriving, collaborative, and innovative workplace. By carefully selecting topics based on the needs of your team, you can encourage open dialogue and build an environment where knowledge is not just shared but also celebrated.
With a tool like Assembly, this process becomes easier and more effective.
In conclusion, always prioritize knowledge sharing within and outside your teams, observe your efforts, tweak accordingly.
And yes, use Assembly.
Get the foundational knowledge on creating an employee recognition program that boosts employee engagement and helps them feel valued.
Explore GuideYes, at Assembly, security is a top priority. Each quarter, we have ongoing security work that is everyone’s responsibility. While we maintain a strong security posture, it was important for us to prove to our customers that we do everything we claim to do. This led us to pursue a SOC 2 Type II report that would provide evidence of our compliance with industry gold-standard security practice.
There is study after study showing that employee recognition leads to increased engagement. This in return creates an environment where employees are happier and more motivated which increase productivity and reduces voluntary turnover significantly. In order to filled critical roles, companies tend to spend nearly twice the value of an annual salary. Assembly is an investment in your employees that supports your bottom line.
Yes, we will offer contracts for companies with longer-term agreements to help larger customers have more certainty around future costs.
The minimum agreement term is a 12-month subscription.
We do and for FREE! Any new customer needing further support to get started with Assembly to ensure you're set up for success can request custom onboarding support. Improving your employee experience is about much more than just using our amazing software; it’s about transforming your business to create a workplace that people love. That’s much easier to do with the personal support and advice from our passionate people experts.
Yes. We offer a completely free plan for up to 50 team members. This plan is intended for teams or organizations that are looking to get started with an employee engagement tool. Keep in mind, this plan is limited in features.
All customers can open an Assembly account for free and get started without a credit card. Then you can change plans as necessary.
At the time of redemption (when your employees exchange their points for a paid reward) you'll pay face value. If a reward is a $10 Amazon gift card, your cost will be $10. All paid rewards are billed for on a monthly basis.
The good news is that you don't have to pay for rewards upfront because we only charge you when points are redeemed, not when they're earned.
We offer discounts or educational or charitable organizations. In order to secure a discount, you'll first need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.
For all other organizations, we are willing to consider longer-term agreements in exchange for discounts. To set up annual plans or longer, you will need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.
If you're on a month to month plan, you can go here and cancel anytime. If you're having concerns or need help setting up your account for success, you can always book a demo with a customer support specialist.
If you're on a longer-term custom plan, you'll need to reach out to your customer support specialist to cancel your account or email us at support@joinassembly.com.
Great question! You can customize your core values to match your organization's to boost and track alignment. You can change your currency from the 🏆 emoji (our default) to any emoji of your choice. You can swap our logo for your own. You can also set up company culture rewards such as, "Lunch with the CEO," "Buy a book on us," and so much more!
While we recommend a peer to peer set up where anyone in your organization can give or receive recognition, you can set up Assembly however you want. If you need to limit the people who can give or receive recognition, that's perfectly fine and can be done from your Admin, here.
Assembly connects to the tools your employees use every day to offer an easy, seamless experience with minimal change management.
Assembly has integrations with HCM/HRIS systems like ADP, Google, Office 365, and Slack. We also integrate with communication tools like Slack and Teams so you and your employees can access Assembly wherever they work now.
That depends on the company's permissions set up. That said, over 90% of the employees on Assembly's platform are recognized on a monthly basis. That means nearly every employee across all of our customers are receiving regular recognition from their peers, managers, or leadership. We're extremely proud of this.
They are not required. You can use Assembly without having rewards set up. However, we don't recommend it if you intend to have a high adoption and usage rate. You can always keep the costs down by offering internal culture rewards that are fulfilled by you internally.
No, you can remove allowances from anyone or everyone. It's up to you but we do recommend using points whether they're worth a real dollar value or not. Companies that use points have a much higher engagement rate even if those points don't exchange for real dollars.
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