Strategies For Improving Productivity Of Knowledge Workers - An Overview

Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of facts, truths or information gained in the form of experience or learning or through introspection. Two forms of knowledge are there : tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge can be held in a person's mind and explicit knowledge can be held in written documents and procedures. A knowledge worker is anyone who works for a living at the tasks of developing or using knowledge. The basic task in knowledge work is thinking which adds value to work through mental activities. Knowledge workers find and access information from the vast sources of knowledge, uses information to answer questions, solve problems, complete writing assignments, and generate ideas. Knowledge worker's performance can be improved by providing access to relevant information; continuing educational opportunities and a balance between guidance and autonomy. Knowledge worker can use Information Technology (IT) to access, process, store, and disseminate information. IT must be designed to reduce the amount of time knowledge workers spend on information access, management and manipulation. Through mobile and wireless technologies, knowledge workers can make use of previously unproductive time. Through knowledge management an enterprise can push the information to knowledge workers. Web logs are personal publishing tools or networking instruments for knowledge workers. The right combination of e-communication, e-training, e-learning and e-assessment tools can form an environment where knowledge workers can flourish.