The functional soloist: the new key man risk
It happens in both large and small organizations: someone goes on vacation and their tasks remain undone because no one can take over. Sometimes it's because no one has ever looked into it. Sometimes it has simply grown that way. Often this only results in temporary inconveniences. The employee returns from vacation and clears the backlog. No problem. But what if the vacation does not go as planned? What if your employee has an accident and is unable to work? Or what if your employee decides to look for work elsewhere?
It becomes even more dangerous if these tasks directly affect the core of your business. Or if failing to perform the tasks means you are no longer compliant. Then it becomes a serious problem. This is a typical example of the key man risk: the dependence on one person for crucial tasks. This risk is often recognized in commercial roles or specialist knowledge, but less so in technology or operational processes.
The problem of invisible knowledge
In small organizations, applications are sometimes built by an IT freelancer. A start-up will have something developed by a freelancer. The entrepreneur himself has little IT knowledge. But how do you adapt the software when circumstances change? And will another developer automatically understand the logic of the original developer?
In large organizations, someone is charged with a specific task, laid down in software or an Excel sheet. Often you see that with older software systems, only one or two people know how to make adjustments. Sometimes the programming language has been forgotten. Sometimes the chosen solution is so complex that only the original builder understands what is happening. When that experienced employee retires, the organization loses all that knowledge.
But the key man risk for knowledge goes further. When calculations, decisions, processes and other business components are supported by a 'black box' that only one person has knowledge of, it is difficult to identify errors. If they are identified, there is only one person who can verify and correct them. Justifying the outcomes becomes difficult when it is completely unclear how those outcomes were reached.
From dependency to transparency
Whether you are a small start-up or a large organization with major financial interests, an organization that depends on a few 'indispensable' employees runs risks. Work must be transparent and well-documented so that tasks remain transferable. That does not mean that everyone has to be able to do everything, but it does mean that crucial tasks and systems are transparent and transferable. That is why we at Rulecube ensure that defining the business rules, workflows and forms does not require developer knowledge. You put the determination of the decision rules and process steps in the hands of people with domain knowledge. You reduce the need for a 'unicorn' who has both domain knowledge and technical knowledge.
Key man checklist
Have you done everything you can to minimize your key man risk? Go through the checklist below. You can download it as a pdf by clicking the image.
Rulecube helps organizations reduce this risk. We provide transparent and documented systems in which knowledge does not disappear, but remains accessible. This makes you less vulnerable to the key man risk and keeps your organization agile and future-proof. This can be done quickly and efficiently. Want to know how fast? Book a personal demo to look at your unique processes.