Many companies strive to improve knowledge sharing: they move to open-office layouts, have team bonding activities and hold interdepartmental meetings to break down silos. But all that effort might be for naught if workers deliberately hide knowledge from one another.
A new study published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology finds that knowledge-hiding is common in the workplace. Researchers examined the deliberate attempt "to withhold or conceal knowledge that has been requested by another member of the organization," and found that information-hoarding (not just lack of communication) takes many different forms.
On the least damaging end of the spectrum, employees said they withheld knowledge that was deemed confidential. In more serious cases, they deliberately "played dumb" to withhold information that teammates legitimately needed.
"Even though every organization touts the benefits of teams, we’re often rewarded individually for our performance," David Zweig, co-author of the study and an associate management professor at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, tells the New York Times. After all, knowledge is power.
While knowledge-hiding isn’t necessarily intended to hurt coworkers or companies, it comes with negative consequences. It prevents both colleagues and withholders from sharing creative ideas, for instance, and makes other feel rejected if they know information is being hidden from them.
So how should companies tackle knowledge-hiding in the workplace? "Put in incentives to reward people on team outcomes versus solely on individual outcomes," Zweig says.
h/t: New York Times
Photo: Can Stock
Related Resources
Want to keep learning? Explore our products, customer stories, and the latest industry insights.
Blog Post
You, Me, We – Managing the Talent Experience
Today’s world is incredibly unpredictable. Think of all the upheavals businesses have had to weather in recent years, from Brexit, to COVID-19, the Great Resignation, and more. Even before this, there was the 2008 financial meltdown. All of this impacts the world of work, meaning organisations must always prepare for times of instability.
Blog Post
Unlocking your team's potential: enabling career growth for greater success
In today's job market, one roadblock organisations often deal with when trying to hold on to employees is a concept called “talent hoarding.” Talent hoarding occurs when a manager holds tightly to an employee because they view that person as an essential asset to their team. Losing this person would likely create a hole in the department that the manager may consider challenging or inconvenient to fill.
Blog Post
Who cares about employee experience - a webinar with Ben Whitter
Employee experience once came down solely to a desk, office space, and possibly some free cake at the coffee station. This has completely transformed in recent years, the initial catalyst being the pandemic. The mass exodus from the workplace forced employers to rethink the employee experience (EX), as keeping morale high and workers connected to each other was paramount. However, even in the aftermath of Covid-19, the EX has continued to evolve.