In today’s knowledge-driven economy, organizations are constantly seeking ways to harness the collective expertise of their workforce. While explicit knowledge—such as documented processes, reports, and manuals—is relatively easy to capture and disseminate, tacit knowledge remains elusive. Tacit knowledge includes the unwritten, experience-based insights that employees accumulate over time, such as best practices, problem-solving skills, and intuitive decision-making.
One of the most effective yet underutilized tools for tacit knowledge sharing is Enterprise Social Media (ESM). Platforms like Microsoft Viva Engage (formerly Yammer), Workplace by Meta, Slack, and Microsoft Teams are not just communication channels—they can serve as dynamic ecosystems where tacit knowledge naturally emerges, flows, and enhances organizational intelligence.
- Encouraging peer recognition through likes, badges, and kudos.
- Embedding gamification, where contributors earn reputation points for valuable knowledge-sharing.
- Promoting a collaborative culture, making knowledge-sharing an expected and rewarded behavior.
The Challenge of Tacit Knowledge Sharing
Tacit knowledge is deeply personal and context-specific, making it difficult to document and transfer. Employees often share it informally through mentoring, storytelling, and peer interactions. However, in today’s distributed workplaces, reliance on face-to-face communication alone is no longer viable.
Traditional knowledge management systems (KMS) fall short because they focus primarily on codified knowledge rather than experiential insights. This gap can lead to knowledge silos, expertise drain (due to turnover), and inefficiencies in decision-making.
How Enterprise Social Media Enhances Tacit Knowledge Sharing
ESM platforms provide a real-time digital environment where employees can engage in real-time as well as asynchronous conversations, share experiences, and collaborate organically on all sorts of tasks, problems, information exchanges, all of which often involve in depth expertise and experiences that are shared by the participants of the conversation thread or group, and where more often than not, the shared information is highly individual based on the collaborators past experience, skill, and involvement in the specific problem or area being discussed, which is mainly tacit information that is otherwise not documented anywhere else usually. ESMs can facilitate such tacit knowledge flows and exchanges in several ways:
- Enabling Organic Knowledge Exchange
Unlike rigid knowledge management systems, ESM fosters natural and informal discussions where employees can share their expertise freely. Through threads, comments, and reactions, teams can engage in problem-solving dialogues that capture implicit insights.
Example:
A senior engineer facing a complex troubleshooting issue posts a question on the company’s Microsoft Viva Engage group. Within hours, peers across different locations contribute insights, offering potential solutions based on past experiences, not just documented procedures.
- Creating a Culture of Knowledge Contribution
Organizations often struggle with knowledge hoarding, where employees hesitate to share insights due to concerns about job security or relevance. ESM addresses this by:
Example:
A company using Workplace by Meta recognizes employees who actively contribute insights in knowledge-sharing groups, awarding them with badges that highlight their expertise in specific areas.
- Capturing Insights Through Multimedia
Tacit knowledge isn’t always best expressed in text. ESM platforms allow employees to share:
- Short video demos (e.g., quick troubleshooting guides).
- Voice messages (to explain complex topics naturally).
- Screenshots & annotated images (for contextual clarity).
- Live Q&A sessions and webinars (where experts share experiences in real-time).
Example:
A customer support team in a global enterprise uses Slack to upload short explainer videos detailing how they handle specific client objections, helping new employees learn nuanced customer interactions.
- Encouraging Cross-Functional Collaboration
Tacit knowledge often exists in departmental silos, limiting its reach. ESM platforms break down barriers by enabling inter-departmental discussions where expertise flows beyond formal hierarchies.
Example:
A marketing team in a fast-moving consumer goods company collaborates with product designers on Microsoft Teams. By openly discussing customer feedback in a shared channel, designers gain real-time insights into user pain points—insights that may not have been captured in structured reports.
- Leveraging AI for Knowledge Discovery
Modern ESM platforms integrate AI-driven recommendations to surface relevant discussions, insights, and expertise, which includes powerful features such as:
- Auto-tagging & smart search, allowing employees to find related conversations effortlessly.
- AI-powered knowledge hubs, where frequently asked questions automatically compile into knowledge bases.
Example:
A financial services firm uses an AI-powered bot in Teams that indexes past expert discussions, enabling employees to retrieve previous solutions without repeating the same queries.
Best Practices for Implementing ESM for Tacit Knowledge Sharing
To maximize the effectiveness of ESM for tacit knowledge sharing, organizations should:
- Establish Knowledge-Sharing Communities
Create dedicated ESM groups or channels focused on expertise exchange in specific domains, such as:
“Tech Troubleshooting Hub” (for IT teams)
“Sales Success Stories” (for sharing customer insights)
“Innovation Think Tank” (for R&D collaboration)
- Encourage Leadership Participation
When executives and senior experts actively engage in knowledge-sharing discussions, employees feel more encouraged to contribute.
- Balance Open & Private Discussions
While open forums encourage broad knowledge exchange, private groups can create safe spaces for employees to ask questions without hesitation.
- Monitor & Measure Engagement
Use ESM analytics to track:
Participation levels (e.g., active contributors vs. passive viewers).
Engagement metrics (e.g., likes, shares, and comments).
Impact on problem resolution speed (e.g., how quickly knowledge is applied).
- Integrate ESM with Knowledge Repositories
Link ESM discussions to formal knowledge bases (e.g., SharePoint, Confluence) to ensure valuable insights don’t get lost over time.
Conclusion: Transforming Tacit Knowledge into Organizational Intelligence
By leveraging Enterprise Social Media, organizations can unlock, share, and scale tacit knowledge in ways that traditional knowledge management systems cannot. ESM bridges the gap between structured documentation and human expertise, fostering a continuous learning environment where experience flows seamlessly across teams.
With today’s digital-first and remote workforces, embracing ESM as a core knowledge-sharing strategy is no longer optional—it’s a competitive advantage. Organizations that successfully cultivate social learning ecosystems will be better equipped to adapt, innovate, and sustain institutional expertise, ensuring that valuable tacit knowledge remains within the organization, even as employees come and go.
Knowledge Management Today 