Onboarding, Training, and Retaining Knowledge Managers
Franklin University, using data from Lightcast, estimates there were approximately 60,000 knowledge managers, which it defined rather broadly, in the U.S. as of 2023, having a median salary of $134,701 (franklin.edu/career-guide/ database-architects/how-much-salary-do-knowledge-managers-make). Data-hungry organizations are driving the market for KM products and services, and people are needed to manage a growing number of KM initiatives. In some cases, knowledge managers are building KM systems from the ground up; in others, they may be formalizing and optimizing existing systems. Knowledge managers are diverse in their backgrounds and experience; some are proficient with the enabling technologies; others excel at collaboration and connecting people. Once a candidate has been selected and has agreed to join the organization, the employee lifecycle begins.
In some respects, onboarding a knowledge manager is no different from the process for onboarding any employee—providing information about company policies, benefits, and HR procedures. However, the knowledge manager needs to be more aware of the company’s vision, organizational structure, and strategic objectives in order to select and prioritize the work of providing each individual with the required information from the KM system. Therefore, the hiring company needs to provide the new manager with these resources and ideally will offer training to fill in any skills gaps.
A lawyer by training, Beth Kunkel came across KM by chance and was immediately sold on the concept. She joined a law firm and started a KM program there. “In that organization, I initially reported to IT,” she said, “and I served as the liaison between project managers, IT, and the legal groups to assist with setting up the KM infrastructure and associated processes.” The program was very document-intensive, as the lawyers were focused on finding precedents. “We were a lean group, so each of us had to carry out a variety of tasks,” she recalled. “One day, I might be writing SQL queries and working in Dreamweaver for a web development project, and the next, meeting with partners and practice group leaders to discuss strategy and firm intelligence.”
The group created taxonomies and organized a repository of documents with quick links to the document management system for the lawyers. The KM team eventually became a separate department. “In a relatively small organization, a knowledge manager should have diverse skills and will do more hands-on work than in a situation where a larger staff is available,” Kunkel stated. Either way, the onboarding process should include introductions to the stakeholders and facilitate interaction with them, as well as provide a clear statement of responsibilities.
Knowledge managers in law firms are more likely to have immediate success if they have previously worked in a law firm, because they will have been exposed to core systems often used there, and are familiar with the partnership ranks and how the operational side of the business is typically organized. Kunkel asserts, “Understanding the business structure and the primary data repositories is critical when formulating a strategic KM plan.” Ideally, the individual will have KM experience within a law firm, but in the absence of that combination, the legal experience would come first, with formal KM training or on-the-job experience being acquired afterward.