- \n
- Global knowledge management market size is expected to reach $2.1 trillion by 2030<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 44%<\/strong> of experts agree that generative AI is the most important technology for KM.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 80%<\/strong> of customer support agents say \u201cbetter access to other departments\u2019 data would improve their work\u201d. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 54%<\/strong> of organizations use \u201cmore than 5 different platforms for documenting and sharing information\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 47%<\/strong> of average professionals spend 1-5 hours a day<\/strong> searching for specific information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 58%<\/strong> of executives and managers disperse the information through email.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 83%<\/strong> of decision-makers plan to invest more in data integration over the next year. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 46%<\/strong> of executives and managers agree that it \u201ctakes too long to onboard new employees\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 33% <\/strong>of customer service managers believe their agents can easily find the information needed to assist customers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 51%<\/strong> of executives state \u201cthey would benefit from a visual diagram\/search capability enabled by visual tools\u201d. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
\n![\"Key](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Key-Takeaways-500x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe current state of knowledge management and its top priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The global knowledge management market<\/a> is forecasted to reach $2.1 trillion<\/strong> by 2030. For comparison, the current size is approximately $773.6 billion<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what exactly is knowledge management? It\u2019s all the platforms and applications a company is using to enhance knowledge management and sharing among employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The faster employees are able to find what they\u2019re looking for, the faster they\u2019ll find the solution to any issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge management is a vital addition in the HR industry, as well as in customer service, IT, and healthcare. However, any industry and any company would benefit from having knowledge organized and easily accessible to employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the latest APQC knowledge management survey<\/a>, currently, 44%<\/strong> of KM experts (knowledge workers for whom the survey doesn\u2019t mention the industry in which these workers belong) agree that the main priority for KM is operational efficiency\/process enhancement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These digits speak highly of the need for efficient systems that enable employees to find specific information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s take a closer look at the top business priorities for KM, the top priorities for KM teams in general, and KM’s present state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Top](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Top-5-priorities-for-KM-teams-in-2025-785x1024.jpg\")
Top 5 priorities for KM teams in 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n 55% of KM experts believe knowledge management is gaining ground<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The same APQC research reveals that 55%<\/strong> of respondents believe knowledge management is gaining ground. Another 23%<\/strong> say it’s in a steady state, whereas 10%<\/strong> claim it\u2019s thriving. At the same time, 9%<\/strong> see KM in decline, whereas a small percentage (3%<\/strong>) believe it\u2019s in freefall.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/The-current-state-of-knowledge-management.jpg\")
The current state of knowledge management<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\nJoin CAKE.com\u2019s Affiliate Program<\/p>\n \n
Ready to skyrocket your earnings? Promote our products and earn a commission on every purchase made through your referral link. <\/p>\n \n
\n \n Sign up now <\/a>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n![\"Join](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-affiliate.png\")
\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\n41% of experts find that incorporating AI is a key KM teams\u2019 priority in 2025<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
AI and \u201csmart technology\u201d are a priority for KM teams, according to 41%<\/strong> of experts participating in the APQC survey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the future, we can expect KM tools to implement more AI features. This would complement KM systems in a way that would ensure easier knowledge sharing, storing, and even creating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other major priorities include \u201cidentifying, mapping, or prioritizing critical knowledge\u201d (30%<\/strong>) and \u201ctransferring expert knowledge\u201d (22%<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Critical knowledge is unique for every company \u2014 it represents the know-how knowledge of all the procedures and strategies vital to running the business. This can be the company\u2019s standard operating procedures (e.g., information about working hours, company benefits, and paid time off rules) or specific data about the company\u2019s product or service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, expert knowledge is in-depth knowledge of a certain area, such as legal, accounting, or logistics. And for a business to thrive different departments must share and transfer expert knowledge efficiently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn all about PTO plans and policies, and how PTO differs from vacation in the following blog: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- PTO vs. Vacation: What Is the Difference?<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
44% of experts find that generative AI is the most important technology for KM <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
According to the same research, 44%<\/strong> of respondents find that \u201cgenerative AI is necessary to create new artifacts and content for KM\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another 39%<\/strong> believe that \u201cAI is vital in recommending content or knowledge assets\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generative AI has a wide application range. It can assist in correcting errors, removing outdated information from KM systems, and adding context to knowledge articles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, it can create summarized content about a certain topic which can make searching for information much easier. For example, if the HR and Facility departments have policies about guest visitors to the company \u2014 Gen AI can create a single article that would combine information from both the HR and Facility aspects.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/The-most-important-techonologies-for-KM-in-2025-891x1024.jpeg\")
The most important technologies for KM in 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One can\u2019t help but wonder, can AI resolve our issues without it taking a toll? Read more about AI burnout right here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Is AI Burnout a Real Threat?<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
How companies around the world implement knowledge management processes in their work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ideally, we should be able to extract the specific piece of information we need within minutes. But let\u2019s see whether this is the case in companies around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
54% of organizations rely on more than 5 different platforms to document processes or share information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The latest KM World Survey Report<\/a> reveals that 54%<\/strong> of organizations use \u201cmore than 5 different platforms for documenting and sharing information\u201d among employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This causes employees to spend more time searching for specific information, thus decreasing efficiency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A similar eGain study<\/a> on knowledge management found that 36%<\/strong> of participants have 3 or more KM tools in use, with 31%<\/strong> of employees not knowing how many KM tools they even have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
26%<\/strong> say they\u2019re dissatisfied with their current KM solutions, and 55%<\/strong> are somewhat satisfied. This indicates that there\u2019s plenty of room for improvement in knowledge management systems within organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, according to the Salesforce report<\/a>, \u201c58%<\/strong> of agents at underperforming organizations toggle between multiple screens to find what they need \u2014 compared to 36%<\/strong> at high performers\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
47% of employees spend 1-5 hours a day searching for specific information <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The latest Pryon report<\/a> shows that 47%<\/strong> of average professionals spend 1-5 hours a day searching for specific information. Another 15%<\/strong> spend 6-10 hours doing the same, whereas the same number (15%<\/strong>) say they spend less than 1 hour finding what they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The findings of these reports undoubtedly point out that currently, employees don\u2019t have an efficient knowledge management system to lean on. That\u2019s why they spend hours searching for the right information to complete their tasks. The solution may very well lie in the adoption of an efficient KM system.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Average](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Average-time-spent-by-professionals-looking-for-a-specific-piece-of-information.jpg\")
Average time spent by professionals looking for a specific piece of information<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\nEffortless communication begins with Pumble<\/p>\n \n
Enjoy unlimited chat history, threads, public and private channels, high-quality video calls, and more.<\/p>\n \n
\n \n Get started <\/a>\n \n \n Learn more <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n![\"Effortless](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-pumble.png\")
\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\n37% of respondents find 51-75% of unstructured information available <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The same report asked respondents how easy they can find relevant information about their company, such as policies, procedures, or knowledge articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
37%<\/strong> responded that 51-75% is available, while 23%<\/strong> responded that they can find 76-99% of the information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only 6%<\/strong> responded that 100% of unstructured information is \u201ceasily accessible\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A vast majority (92%<\/strong>) of respondents from the same survey agree that \u201caccess to fast and accurate information from unstructured content is vital to their business\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/How-much-of-unstructured-information-e.g.-policies-procedures-etc.-is-available_.jpg\")
How much of the unstructured information (e.g., policies, procedures, etc.) is available?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n What do managers think of knowledge management? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The latest Visier Research<\/a> shows that 80%<\/strong> of managers experience at least one pain point when pulling data to make decisions about employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These decisions include hiring and promoting employees, boosting employee morale and engagement, and increasing employee productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The information managers want access to includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Performance reviews, <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Employee performance data (like employee scorecard), <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Individual employee compensation, and <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Recruitment performance data. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Currently, 43%<\/strong> of managers say data is \u201cdifficult to assess and time-consuming\u201d, 34%<\/strong> say \u201cdata is time-consuming and difficult to interpret\u201d, and 32%<\/strong> agree data is \u201coutdated, incomplete, and\/or inaccurate\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This state is a direct consequence of inefficient knowledge management systems, which would enable easier access to data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
37% of business leaders and employees expect to adopt machine learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
According to the Inside the Workplace Report<\/a>, 37%<\/strong> of business leaders and employees expect to adopt machine learning. This type of learning \u201cenables computerized systems to leverage large data sets to learn and get better at their appointed tasks\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, machine learning is fantastic for analyzing data and making predictions. It can analyze customers\u2019 behavior enabling managers to create strategies and responses that would better fit the customers\u2019 needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
58% of executives rely on email to disperse the information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The aforementioned KM World Survey Report reveals that employees choose email rather than a knowledge database to find the necessary information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Specifically, 58%<\/strong> of executives and managers disperse the information through email, compared to 47%<\/strong> who use a knowledge database. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once the pioneers of business communication, emails are becoming outdated with every passing day. Here\u2019s why: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 4 Reasons Why Communicating Via Email is Hurting Your Business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
33% of customer service managers believe their agents can easily find necessary information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As per Deloitte’s Customer Service Excellence<\/a> report, 33%<\/strong> of customer service managers believe their agents can easily find the information needed to aid customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
58%<\/strong> find it moderate, whereas 9%<\/strong> find it difficult to find information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
51% of executives state they would benefit from a visual diagram\/search capability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
According to the KM World Survey Report, 51%<\/strong> of the respondents state \u201cthey would benefit from a visual diagram\/search capability to better deliver information across their enterprises\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similarly, \u201c58%<\/strong> say their training processes could be accelerated from a visual diagram or search capability\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another 54%<\/strong> agree that \u201cadding a visual diagram or search capability would accelerate efforts to acquaint employees with changes in business processes\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
48% believe when employees leave, they take valuable information with them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Almost half of the executives and managers who took part in the KM World Survey Report (48%<\/strong>) agree that employees take knowledge about procedures with them once they leave the company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you own an IT company that doesn\u2019t have extensive how-to content (about company mission, guidelines, and goals), once your experienced employees leave, the inexperienced ones won\u2019t know how to continue writing code or repairing bugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And 49%<\/strong> say decision-makers don\u2019t have a full view of the knowledge base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Documenting and storing knowledge in a way that is easily accessible to team members is crucial for preventing the loss of information and making well-informed decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out how knowledge management and sharing can contribute to enhancing the company\u2019s resilience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- IT Resilience, as Explained by CAKE.com\u2019s Director of Infrastructure Engineering<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge management in the customer service industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge management is particularly useful in customer service, where the quick resolution of customers\u2019 inquiries is highly praised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
78% of CRM leaders say that customers prefer to solve issues independently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
According to the latest Hubspot Customer Service Report<\/a>, 78%<\/strong> of CRM (customer relationship management) leaders state that customers prefer to solve issues on their own. This is why it comes as no surprise that 68%<\/strong> of them \u201cwill prioritize independent customer service solutions\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similar data was collected in Salesforce’s latest survey, where 61%<\/strong> of customers reported they would rather use self-service for simple issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since customers prefer resolving their issues through self-service, an ideal response from companies would be creating up-to-date FAQs, tutorials, help pages, and similar articles that would enable this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
28% of customers report they\u2019d rather quit trying to solve a problem than have an agent assist them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A recent Gartner customer service support survey<\/a> reveals that 28%<\/strong> of customers are \u201cmost likely to quit trying to solve a problem with a product or service rather than reach out to an agent for help\u201d. What they want is to be able to find solutions online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, the same study found that 38%<\/strong> of Millennials and Gen Z customers report having a \u201cself-service or no service mindset\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge management is one of the major reasons for both scenarios when customers are and aren\u2019t able to find solutions on their own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the Salesforce survey we mentioned states that self-service resolves around 54%<\/strong> of customer issues. Now, imagine if customers had access to updated help pages, tutorials, and step-by-step instructions \u2014 this number could significantly grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking of Gen Z, check out their attitudes toward work in the following article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The Gen Z Effect and the Workforce Evolution: 2024 Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
62% of agents say materials are outdated<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s what agents say about possible reasons why customers aren\u2019t able to solve all of their issues through self-service inquiries, according to the same Salesforce survey: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 62%<\/strong> of agents say materials such as help pages are not up-to-date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 59%<\/strong> of agents claim \u201cinstructions are often too complicated to follow\u201d, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 65% <\/strong>of agents say \u201ccustomers\u2019 issues are often too unique\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
And even when customers reach out to customer service agents, things do not always go smoothly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Namely, \u201c79%<\/strong> of customers expect consistency across departments, but 56%<\/strong> have to repeat information to different representatives\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, \u201c80%<\/strong> of agents say better access to other departments\u2019 data would improve their work\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can conclude that the key to solving customers\u2019 issues and customers being able to solve issues on their own is having up-to-date materials available across departments. This is why it comes as no surprise that \u201c83%<\/strong> of decision-makers plan to invest more in data integration over the next year\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Why](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Why-self-service-doesnt-solve-more-of-customers-inquires.jpg\")
Why doesn\u2019t self-service solve more of the customers\u2019 inquiries?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n \nFurther reading<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Team collaboration has many benefits, one of which is knowledge sharing. Read all about it here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- What is Cross-Functional Collaboration? (Benefits + Tips)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge management and onboarding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Another area where knowledge management can dominate is onboarding, but also training and retaining new hires. Let\u2019s see the latest stats from this field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
46% of KM executives and managers agree it takes too long to onboard new employees <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The KM World Survey Report we mentioned shows that, to fully train newly hired employees, 39%<\/strong> of the respondents need more than 3 months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Almost half of the respondents (46%<\/strong>) agree that it \u201ctakes too long to onboard new employees with needed knowledge\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
44% claim that the time to train new hires has increased in the past five years, with one of the main reasons being additional tools or software to learn (57%<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, 22%<\/strong> of the respondents claim that the time to train new hires has decreased in the past five years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main reasons for this decrease are more user-friendly systems or interfaces (48%<\/strong>), and ramped-up training and onboarding processes (63%<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are witnessing a rise in the number of tools and processes employees need to use. Therefore, it is paramount to enhance the onboarding process by implementing an efficient KM system that would make it easier for new hires to perform tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Great onboarding is vital for future team productivity. Learn more about it here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- How Bad Onboarding Hurts Your Projects<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n
Welcome to CAKE.com Marketplace<\/p>\n \n
Boost your workflow with custom Clockify and Pumble add-ons or list and sell your own on the CAKE.com Marketplace. <\/p>\n \n
\n \n Learn more <\/a>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n![\"Welcome](\"https:\/\/cake.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/banner-cake-marketplace.png\")
\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\nKnowledge management in healthcare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As per C8Health research<\/a> on knowledge management in hospitals, half of hospital administrators find their knowledge management solutions outdated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, only 21%<\/strong> of respondents reported they find what they\u2019re looking for 100% of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, 13 out of 100<\/strong> patients get injured or die due to a lack of access to clinical resources. How does this happen, you may ask? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When healthcare professionals aren\u2019t able to find information in the hospital\u2019s guidelines and protocols, they look up information in external resources, which aren\u2019t always in line with the specific institution\u2019s protocols. Lack of information, and acting on wrong information leads to unstandardized care, while the patients bear the consequences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, having a reliable KM system is paramount, especially in life-saving institutions such as hospitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nFurther reading<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Burnout in healthcare is on the rise. Read on to find out how to prevent it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Career Burnout in Healthcare is High. Better Time Management Helps<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Key knowledge management threats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The APQC research we mentioned shows that one of the main threats of KM is that \u201cemployees are overworked<\/a> and don\u2019t have time for knowledge management\u201d (42%<\/strong>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is followed by
- Career Burnout in Healthcare is High. Better Time Management Helps<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- How Bad Onboarding Hurts Your Projects<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n
- 59%<\/strong> of agents claim \u201cinstructions are often too complicated to follow\u201d, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 62%<\/strong> of agents say materials such as help pages are not up-to-date,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Gen Z Effect and the Workforce Evolution: 2024 Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- IT Resilience, as Explained by CAKE.com\u2019s Director of Infrastructure Engineering<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- 4 Reasons Why Communicating Via Email is Hurting Your Business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- Is AI Burnout a Real Threat?<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
- 44%<\/strong> of experts agree that generative AI is the most important technology for KM.<\/li>\n\n\n\n