Dealing with stalled knowledge transfer

“This is becoming an important issue as the baby boomer demographic is moving towards retirement and taking with them their corporate knowledge. Changing this tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge is a current and future challenge that should be part of the Human Resource Information System – which really is the umbrella under which sits workforce management.

“A greater realisation yet has to occur in ports that human capital is an important resource which is not owned by the port – instead it is only rented mostly during work hours.”

When the global economy revives, the ‘once much-heralded war for talent’ will again arise, says Dr Cahoon. “Ports will find that not only is there a skills shortage but also a knowledge shortage as a result of the retiring baby boomers. The focus once again will return to staff retention, and it is then that the precious human capital will determine if the systems that have been developed via workforce management have left them feeling like just a number or if their employer really cares about their role and importance to the port.”

If workforce management is used from a policy perspective in relation to employees, it should involve ensuring inclusive and equitable workforce practices, he says. “It also involves open and transparent communication about how flexible time and leave will be managed.”

Portside Solutions’ Ray Lee says the workforce management system, as a decision support tool, should not tell the port operator how to do it, but advise what the cost and service impacts will be of running various options on teams/gangs and cranes, for example. “It is very important to include the human factors into the workforce management software, such as availability, leave, preferences, fatigue management, etc. It is imperative that all employees be scheduled in such a way that they are not fatigued or working shifts that are not suited to their skills or experience.”