Most workplaces have an “Ask Sam”.
Sam knows where the latest version of the spreadsheet is saved. Sam knows which customer prefers a phone call before an email. Sam knows the workaround when the system freezes, the person to speak to when an approval gets stuck, and why a process is done in a way that no longer quite matches the written procedure.
Sam is helpful, capable and generous with their time. They are the person others naturally go to when something is unclear.
The problem is not Sam. The problem is when Sam becomes the system.
When important knowledge lives in one person’s head, the risk may not be obvious until that person is away, promoted, seconded, unwell, overloaded or resigning. Suddenly, simple tasks take longer. People start searching through old emails, interrupting colleagues, guessing what usually happens, or trying to rebuild a process from memory.
This is the handover problem. It rarely appears overnight. It builds quietly in the background when a workplace relies too heavily on informal knowledge and too lightly on shared understanding.
Many employers think about handover when someone resigns. A notice period begins, a manager asks for notes, and the employee tries to download years of practical knowledge before they leave.
Sometimes this works. Often, it is too late.
By that point, the employee may be finishing projects, preparing to move on, or trying to explain work that has become second nature. The manager may be recruiting, reallocating tasks and keeping the team steady. It is not the best time to discover that one person has been holding together a process no one else fully understands.
A better approach is to treat knowledge sharing as part of ordinary work, not an emergency activity.
This does not mean documenting every small task in painful detail. Most workplaces do not need a manual for everything. What they do need is a clear view of the knowledge that would cause disruption if it disappeared tomorrow.
That might be a payroll task, a reporting process, a key customer relationship, a regular compliance deadline, a supplier arrangement, a system workaround, or a spreadsheet that only one person knows how to maintain.
A useful question for managers is simple:
“If this person was away next week, what would the team struggle to do?”
Every team has some areas where knowledge is concentrated. That is not automatically a problem. People develop expertise over time, and workplaces rely on experienced employees to keep things moving.
The risk appears when no one else has enough visibility to step in.
Managers can start by identifying the single points of knowledge in their team. These are the tasks, relationships or processes that rely too heavily on one person.
Useful prompts include:
This should not be framed as a criticism of the person who holds the knowledge. In many cases, they have become the go-to person because they are trusted and competent. The message should be that their knowledge is valuable enough to protect and share.
It can also reduce pressure on the employee. Being indispensable might sound flattering, but it can become exhausting if every question, exception and decision has to come through one person.
Formal procedures often explain what is meant to happen. Experienced employees often know what actually happens.
They know the common mistakes, the timing, the exceptions, the people who need early warning, and the small steps that are easy to miss. This is the practical knowledge that can save a team time and frustration.
A handover note does not need to be perfect to be useful. It just needs to help someone else keep work moving.
For important tasks, ask employees to capture:
The most useful notes often include the things that are not obvious. The “do this first” detail. The “check with this person before sending” reminder. The “this looks urgent, but it can wait until Friday” context.
Those details are often where the real handover value sits.
Some knowledge is best learned by watching and doing.
Buddying, shadowing and mentoring can help move knowledge from one person to the team. This is especially useful before planned leave, internal moves, promotions or role changes.
A simple approach is to have one employee observe the task, then complete it with support, then complete it again while the experienced employee is available to answer questions. This helps test whether the handover notes make sense and whether anything important has been missed.
It also turns knowledge sharing into a development opportunity. Employees build capability, experienced workers share what they know, and the business becomes less dependent on one person.
The goal is not to make people less valuable. It is to make sure their value is shared, sustained and carried forward.
When knowledge sits with one person, the business carries avoidable risk and the employee often carries unnecessary pressure. When knowledge is shared, teams become more confident, more flexible and better prepared for change.
Employers can start small. Pick one important task. Identify who knows it best. Ask what would happen if they were away. Capture the practical steps. Pair someone with them. Review it again before the next period of leave or role change.
Good handover is not just something that happens when someone leaves.
It is one of the everyday habits that helps a workplace keep moving, even when people move on.
For assistance with your workplace matters, members of Australian Industry Group can contact us or call our Workplace Advice Line on 1300 55 66 77 for further information. Australian Industry Group has an extensive range of resources to support employers including Succession Planning.
Georgina is Senior HR Content Editor – Publications at Australian Industry Group. With more than 25 years' experience in human resources and leadership, she has demonstrated her expertise across a diverse range of industries, including financial services, tourism, travel, government, agriculture and HR advisory. She is an accomplished writer and editor who creates engaging content that educates and informs. Georgina's writing includes a variety of formats, such as blogs, articles, policies, templates and guides.
