Knowledge transfer

Knowledge transfer

An interview with Katja Hennig, Senior Manager Housing Industry, Sales and Sven Robin, Senior Manager Human Resources, Consulting/Development

Ms Henning, which specific challenges do you see for the knowledge transfer within your area of responsibility in the digital world?

"In the case of Aareal Bank’s Housing Industry division, the speed with which change occurs nowadays has made the transfer and provi­sion of knowledge clearly more challenging than in the past. The time span we have for providing new contents and updating already existing information is getting more limited each day. From a technical perspective, it isn’t really a problem, it’s more of a complexity issue, as the actual provision of knowledge is less of a challenge than finding the correct information."

How do you deal with these challenges in your division?

"In 2016, we developed a digital knowledge pool for the Housing Industry division and published it on our intranet. In 2017, we will systematically expand knowledge manage­ment and establish a platform for a Group­ wide exchange. In addition, Aareon also offers its clients numerous webinars, which enable the digital knowledge transfer for the use of its products."

Mr Robin, from the perspective of Human Resources, what are the most important elements of modern knowledge transfer? 

"First of all, it is essential that employees and executives understand the rapidly growing importance of knowledge management and act accordingly. Those who don’t use knowledge management systems on a regular basis, who don’t constantly educate themselves fur­ther, and who don’t provide their own knowledge to the benefit of others, will quickly be left by the wayside. Search and structuring features, links and shortcuts are of utmost importance. Modern knowledge management systems have to be very agile and should evolve constantly. Above all, however, they have to be intuitive and strictly user­-focused in their structure and functionality."

What will Aareal Bank Group’s knowledge management look like in future? 

"We want our knowledge management to be structured in form of a knowledge dialogue and less in form of pure knowledge retrieval. Our knowledge management is to act as a basis for autonomous and flexible learning, thus serving the purpose of an improved client focus, agility, and innovative capacity within Aareal Bank Group."