Here’s how to prevent knowledge loss when employees leave!

At SkillsTown, we believe valuable knowledge should be safeguarded within a strategic offboarding program, where employees spend the final months before their departure or retirement sharing their expertise. Not through dry handover documents, but in a way that suits them and inspires others: through video, audio, and storytelling.

Within organizations, valuable knowledge is often lost when employees leave—whether due to retirement, career progression, or job changes by high performers.

Why knowledge loss is a serious risk

Research from The Panopto Workplace Knowledge and Productivity Report shows that 42% of business-critical knowledge exists only in employees’ minds. Only one-third of that knowledge is actively shared with colleagues. When employees leave, that knowledge often disappears with them.

At the same time, the labor market is aging rapidly. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), more than 22% of the workforce is now aged 55+, meaning one in five employees will move toward retirement in the coming years. For HR, this requires proactive action before valuable expertise is permanently lost.

What is Knowledge in Motion?

We therefore introduce the concept Knowledge in Motion: an offboarding program in which employees—ranging from experienced professionals to high performers—share their knowledge in a structured way three months before departure or role transition, using audio, video, and written content.

Knowledge in Motion combines multiple objectives:

1. Knowledge retention
Preserving expertise from experienced employees and high performers that is critical for organizational performance and continuity.

2. A stage for the employee
Not just knowledge, but the person is central. By giving these colleagues a platform, you demonstrate appreciation for their work and impact.

3. Powerful onboarding for new employees
Interviews, videos, and stories are reused within onboarding programs. This allows new colleagues to immediately connect with the organization’s culture, expertise, and daily practice.

4. Story-driven knowledge transfer
No standard manuals, but real stories—making knowledge more memorable and meaningful for new employees.

What does it deliver?

The benefits of Knowledge in Motion are not only strategic, but measurable:

• Up to 75% less knowledge loss
Organizations with a formal knowledge retention process preserve up to approximately 75% of company-specific knowledge (APQC, 2022).

• Faster onboarding
Organizations that integrate experiential knowledge into onboarding reduce onboarding time by approximately 35% (Bersin by Deloitte).

• Cost savings
According to McKinsey, re-solving previously addressed problems costs organizations an average of 20% additional time per employee per year. Retaining knowledge prevents unnecessary inefficiencies.

• A stronger work culture
Departing employees feel valued, and new employees experience a stronger connection to the organization’s DNA.

Why this works

Learning from colleagues is one of the most effective ways to transfer knowledge. Most people—up to 70%—learn simply by doing their work. Another 20% is gained through interaction with others, and only 10% through formal courses. Knowledge in Motion focuses specifically on that 20%: capturing the stories and practical insights that never appear in a handbook.

This is crucial, as organizations lose significant talent each year. These colleagues possess unique, valuable knowledge that must not be lost. By investing in this approach, you ensure knowledge stays within the organization, strengthen continuity, and foster a stronger learning culture.

Curious whether this fits your organization?

This program is suitable for any organization that:

• Faces aging workforce challenges or knowledge loss
• Wants to safeguard and celebrate employee value
• Aims to enrich onboarding with practical insights
• Recognizes that knowledge is culture—and worth preserving

And perhaps most importantly: it is low-threshold, quick to implement, and immediately applicable.

How Knowledge in Motion works in practice

Whether it concerns an experienced employee retiring or a high performer moving internally or externally, departure does not have to mean losing valuable knowledge. With Knowledge in Motion, you transform it into a sustainable and inspiring learning moment—for today and for the future.

Curious how this looks in practice? Schedule a no-obligation conversation with one of our learning consultants. Together, we ensure your knowledge doesn’t disappear—but stays in motion.