Every company has that person.
đź‘· The operator who can fix a machine with nothing but a wrench and a knowing glance.
đź“‚ The woman who knows exactly which dusty file cabinet holds a customer contract from 1987.
🛠️ The guy who remembers why you stopped using that one vendor back in the 90s.
They are treasure troves of knowledge. Loyal. Generous. Willing to share—if you ask.
But then it happens.
🚪 They announce their retirement.
I can’t tell you how many companies I’ve seen scramble after this moment. Software systems crash. Documentation disappears. Entire ways of manufacturing molds have to be reinvented—all because no one captured the essential know-how before it walked out the door.
So what do you do?
One powerful step is to engage that person in documenting the processes they follow. Not just what button they push, but why they push it. Where the data lives. Who relies on the outcome.
From the employee’s perspective, this can feel like one of two things:
✨ “Wow, my work is important, and I want my legacy of knowledge to live on.”
⚠️ “You’re trying to fire me and give my job to someone else.”
How you frame the process makes all the difference.
Engage them early. Invite them to help lead the effort. Ask not just what’s important today, but what they would change to make it better tomorrow.
Start with process mapping. A visual map makes it easier to see where knowledge lives, and where the gaps are. (Here’s a short guide I wrote on mapping a process).
Identify what’s crucial. Not every detail needs to be captured—focus on the data, documents, and decisions that are core to continuity.
Determine how you’ll capture it. 📝 Do you need more SOPs? Additional training programs? Should an understudy shadow them for a period of time? Choose the method that fits your culture and ensures knowledge transfer actually sticks.
This isn’t just about retirement. It’s about business continuity, resilience, and respect. When you capture the knowledge of your most experienced people, you don’t just safeguard operations—you honor the contribution they’ve made.
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll discover that the best way to future-proof your business is by valuing the wisdom that got you here.
👉 What about your organization—do you know what knowledge would disappear if someone retired tomorrow?
💡 Our consulting can help you walk through your processes, identify what’s most important, and capture that knowledge before it’s too late.