Loss of key personnel & knowledge
Critical knowledge concentrated in a few heads: resignation, illness or burnout — defused by succession, documentation and cross-training.
4 threats 11 barriers 3 consequences safety-critical barriers marked
Use this template free. Copy “Loss of key personnel & knowledge” into your own workspace and adapt every barrier — no credit card.
Start free with this template →Threats & preventive barriers
Each threat is a credible pathway to the top event; its barriers interrupt that pathway before control is lost.
Resignation for a competitor
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Succession planning for key roles ★ critical
Socio-technical · 75% effective · Owner: HR Director
📅 Succession plan review · semiannual keep-alive task
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Stay interviews & competitive compensation
Behavioural (human) · 65% effective · Owner: HR Director
Sudden illness or accident
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Documented runbooks for critical tasks
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: Department Head
Documentation decays without review
📅 Runbook review · quarterly keep-alive task
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Pairing & shadowing on critical work
Behavioural (human) · 70% effective · Owner: Department Head
Burnout from chronic overload
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Workload monitoring & regular 1:1s
Behavioural (human) · 60% effective · Owner: Department Head
A heroics culture hides overload
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Sustainable on-call & vacation hygiene
Socio-technical · 65% effective · Owner: HR Director
Retirement wave in specialist roles
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Workforce age-profile planning
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: HR Director
Consequences & recovery barriers
Once the top event happens, recovery barriers limit each consequence.
Critical operations stall
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Deputy arrangements & documented handover ★ critical
Socio-technical · 75% effective · Owner: Department Head
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Cross-trained backup staff
Behavioural (human) · 70% effective · Owner: Department Head
📅 Cross-training session · quarterly keep-alive task
Customer relationships damaged
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Account-team model (no single point of contact)
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: Sales Director
Knowledge permanently lost
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Exit knowledge-transfer protocol
Socio-technical · 60% effective · Owner: HR Operations
Copying this template gives you a fully editable bowtie: barrier owners arrive as role suggestions, escalation factors sit on their barriers, and keep-alive activities are scheduled from the moment you copy. New to the notation? Read what the bowtie method is or browse the practical guides.
Use this template free. Copy “Loss of key personnel & knowledge” into your own workspace and adapt every barrier — no credit card.
Start free with this template →