Companies Leverage Their In-House Experts

By Dennis McCafferty

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Critical Function

56% of managers surveyed said that increasing the expertise and competency levels of their employees' tech and STEM skill sets is a "significant" or "urgent, top-level" priority.
Piecemeal Process, Part I

42% said their organization is trying to accelerate the rate of learning for mid-career employees only in "pockets of effort," and not in an integrated manner.
Piecemeal Process, Part II

One-third said this scattered approach also applies to relatively new employees.
Demand Drivers to Develop Expertise

Rapid changes in knowledge/technology domains: 60%, Changing product/project mixes: 50%, Retirement of long-tenured experts: 41%, Outstripping of expert supply due to growth: 36%, Workforce globalization: 36%
Effective Ways to Increase Expertise

In-person or virtual training: 59%, Mentoring or apprenticeships: 59%, Technical networks: 55%, Programs for high-potential employees: 53%, Communities of practice: 52%
Best Practices: Designate a Dream Team

Identify an elite group of experts to launch a center of excellence to distribute knowledge and technical know-how.
Best Practices: Understand the Skills Required

These include knowledge of facts, theories, research, procedures, etc.; learning from hands-on experience; in-depth knowledge of products, services and processes; and soft skills.
Best Practices: Avoid Top-Down Processes

Top tech performers thrive on exciting projects and peer interaction. They have low tolerance for administrative initiatives coming from corporate.
Best Practices: Encourage Novices to Ask Questions

Less-experienced workers are reserved about asking questions. Cultivate a culture in which people are expected to make inquiries about practices, purposes and outcomes.
Best Practices: Make It Easier to Share Information

Promote department- or company-wide discussion groups, wikis and blogs to distribute and discuss the latest trends, reports and metrics about your industry.
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With technology and business markets constantly shifting, organizations recognize that they must do a better job of developing in-house experts on IT and other scientific, technical, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines, according to a recent survey from APQC. The accompanying report, "How Smart Leaders Leverage Their Experts," reveals a growing concern over the lack of internal programs to leverage existing, advanced-level knowledge among staffers through mentoring and information-sharing programs. To address this, companies are seeking to capture the accumulated insights of senior team members who are approaching retirement, while giving younger employees more opportunities to develop as professionals on the job. "A large percentage of firms need to rethink, redesign or re-emphasize the techniques they are using to bridge the expertise gap," write Carla O'Dell and Lauren Trees, the report's authors. "In addition, technical leaders are still grappling with ways to address rapid change and build the knowledge and expertise needed for the future." APQC, which stands for the American Productivity and Quality Center, is a nonprofit organization specializing in benchmarking and best-practices research. More than 750 professionals took part in the research.

This article was originally published on 2014-06-05

Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer for Baseline Magazine.

Companies Leverage Their In-House Experts

Critical Function

Piecemeal Process, Part I

Piecemeal Process, Part II

Demand Drivers to Develop Expertise

Effective Ways to Increase Expertise

Best Practices: Designate a Dream Team

Best Practices: Understand the Skills Required

Best Practices: Avoid Top-Down Processes

Best Practices: Encourage Novices to Ask Questions

Best Practices: Make It Easier to Share Information