The U.S. work force is undergoing some serious seismic shifts, not because the earth is shifting, but because the demographics of the available labor pool are changing drastically. This is particularly true for fire and EMS agencies. Bruce Tulgan, president and CEO of RainmakerThinking Inc., discussed one aspect of that demographic shift, the generational shift, in a 2003 report:
First, those of the Silent Generation (born before 1946) are gradually exiting the workforce; by 2006, two experienced workers will leave the workforce for every one who enters the workforce. Second, the Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964) are becoming the aging workforce; every day 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 55 years of age. Third, the prime-age workforce will be made up increasingly of Generation X and Generation Y (born 1978–1986).
While there are certainly many aspects of this shift that fire and EMS leaders need to address, I believe one of the most critical is the communication of organizational knowledge from one generation of members to another. Steve Barth, an expert in the field of knowledge management, wrote that
“knowledge management is the practice of harnessing and exploiting intellectual capital to gain competitive advantage and customer commitment through efficiency, innovation and faster and more effective decision-making.
“Yet these things still account for only a fraction of the real value of your knowledge assets,” Barth added. “Most — as much as 90 percent, by some estimations — of the real value of intellectual capital is in the heads of your knowledge workers: their skills, experience, hard-won insight and intuition, and the trust they have invested and earned in relationships inside and outside of the organization. This knowledge is even harder to evaluate, share and leverage.”
So how can we in the fire service capture such knowledge before it walks out the door with the next retiree? Let’s take a closer look at some of our old and reliable information management tools: policy, procedure and process. We often use these terms interchangeably, but they aren’t at all synonymous. However, if we understand how they fit together, they can serve as powerful tools to help transfer organizational knowledge from one generation of members to another.
When do we need a defined process? This question is frequently asked in business. According to Dr. Edwards Deming, the father of the Total Quality movement in the United States, an organization or group needs a defined process when these three criteria are present:
- A task or function must be repeated on a frequent basis.
- A task or function must be done by multiple people.
- A task or function must have a consistent outcome.
Defined processes are not the same as policies or procedures, though defined processes support both.
Policy should state the organization’s philosophy and direction on a topic. Policies should be broad in scope, therefore they don’t undergo significant change on a regular basis. A well-written policy should serve the organization for years on end.
Procedure describes how a member or employee correctly complies with the stated policy. Well-written procedures are an excellent teaching tool to help members learn the correct behavior or skill so that their actions are always in compliance with the applicable policy.
Process provides a very succinct description of the steps involved in following the procedure and, in turn, complying with policy. Process flow charts are a very useful tool for this because they provide a great picture of how the task or function is performed successfully.
Here’s an example of we can use the three Ps to communicate the organization’s expectations regarding the operational preparedness for an ambulance:
- Policy: Crews will inspect their assigned ambulance and its on-board inventory of equipment and supplies to ensure their capability to respond and provide high-quality patient care. Such inspections will occur at the beginning of the crew’s assigned tour of duty and following each response.
- Procedure: A detailed listing of those items that must be checked along with parameters for what is acceptable, for example the vehicle fuel level should be 3/4 of a tank or greater or the engine oil level must be within the acceptable range on the dipstick.
- Process: A flow chart that depicts the major steps in the procedure along with decision points, or what actions are required when an unacceptable situation is encountered. Let’s say that while checking the vehicle, a member finds that the warning lights do not function. The process should show what actions are necessary to correct the deficiency.
Procedures and their associated processes must frequently be reviewed and updated as necessary because conditions may change, such as a new technology, new equipment or budget constraints, and these changes can have an influence on how the task or function must be completed in the future.
