The “Great Resignation” that followed the COVID-19 pandemic shook up the organizational structure for a lot of companies.

Some employees found greener pastures with jobs in new companies, roles, or industries. Others weren’t so lucky.

Some organizations struggled to find enough qualified people to fill critical roles. The situation highlighted the tremendous vulnerability of relying on one person with critical skills,  knowledge, or connections.

It’s the corporate version of “having all your eggs in one basket.”

What are the specific risks?

Employee Stagnation

A single employee doing a role means they don’t have anyone to brainstorm with, be challenged by, learn from, or mentor.

Their work will likely stagnate into what’s familiar, comfortable, and easy.

Employee Turnover

Depending on one person too much can end up stressing them out, burning them out, or causing them to resent the company.

They might look for a new role where the working conditions and future look better.

Dead-end Roles

In the same way, having only one employee in a key role can also send a negative message to other employees:

“There is no room for you to learn new skills, become proficient, or advance in your career here.”

No Knowledge Transfer

Maybe it happened to your company already.

Susan left and no one else knows how to use Canva. Or run payroll reports. Or update the CEO’s LinkedIn account. Yes, she gave two weeks’ notice, but it just wasn’t enough time to both do the tasks and transfer the process of completing those tasks to someone else.

Now she’s gone, and a whole bunch of internal corporate knowledge and history is gone with her.

Is This You?

Does your company have “departments of one” in key roles? Each department of one is a single point of failure. Every single point of failure makes your company that much more vulnerable.

Are you doing anything about it? What means do you have to analyze the retention risks and potential successors? What tools or processes can you use to prioritize ongoing knowledge sharing and collaboration?

Rizing Can Help

If you need help answering those questions, reach out to learn how the powerful combination of SAP SuccessFactors® and Rizing HCM consultants can help.

Contact us and we’ll work together to identify vulnerable “departments of one” and make improvements. We can implement ongoing employee reviews, succession planning, and development plans to ensure you aren’t left hanging if another Susan leaves.