Barriers to Knowledge Sharing During the Onboarding Process

Abstract

Onboarding is understood as a process of the gradual integration of newcomers into two key dimensions: the professional role and the social dynamics of the organization. By definition, an onboarding process should be inclusive, aiming to provide the new employee with comprehensive organizational support to facilitate their swift and effective inclusion into both domains. This consists of the sharing of necessary procedural and explicit knowledge, as well as tacit and implicit knowledge. Ensuring an uninterrupted flow of knowledge sharing among all stakeholders—newcomers, experienced employees, and managers—is crucial for achieving successful onboarding, ultimately leading to full integration within the organization. However, various barriers may impede efficient knowledge sharing within the organizational context. The primary objective of this article is twofold: first, to identify and examine the barriers to effective knowledge sharing during onboarding, including the contextual factors influencing their emergence, with attention given to gender and positional perspectives; and second, to outline the most effective solutions to mitigate these barriers. The theoretical framework guiding this investigation is a narrative summary, serving as an initial step towards a more comprehensive systematic review. It is based on literature review specifically selected for its relevance to the onboarding process. The findings from this narrative summary aim to assist organizations in designing onboarding strategies and associated human resource practices that mitigate potential obstacles to knowledge sharing, thereby enhancing the onboarding experience.