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I'm writing a proposal for work. For it, I would like a word that describes the concept of brain drain - lots of people leaving the country and taking their knowledge with them - but that is limited to within the same company.

Wikipedia (and others) defines brain drain as:

...the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge.

What I'm looking to describe, however, is a situation where one or two very knowledgeable people change jobs, switch departments, or leave the company (not necessarily leaving the country) without imparting that knowledge to others. Is brain drain the best fit or are there better words?

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3 Answers 3

up vote 6 down vote accepted

The typical word for the general phenomenon of employees leaving an organization is attrition.

This word in reality can have a more significant meaning in the sense of loss of intellectual assets, thus causing a reduction in the company's overall capabilities.

So, I think you can use attrition in its primary sense or its metaphor here.

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I like it. Thanks for your help! –  Mr. Buster Feb 17 '12 at 18:49
That was the first answer I thought of when I saw the question. –  Mike Brown Oct 8 '13 at 14:11

Brain Drain can be used in the situation you described, as it means:


Merriam Webster Online define it as:


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-1 Brain Drain is not a synonym of Brain Drain. –  Kris Feb 17 '12 at 9:13
I did not put forward my opinion in justifying brain drain to be used in this scenario. I quoted the dictionary meaning. I would have gracefully accepted a down-vote if I would have been expressing my opinion. –  Incognito Feb 17 '12 at 9:24
I would expect you to provide an answer, and an opinion if you would like to. –  Kris Feb 17 '12 at 9:50
Because I also asked if brain drain is the best fit I appreciate this answer, even though I think I like attrition better. –  Mr. Buster Feb 17 '12 at 18:49

I'd consider defection (an act or incidence of "abandoning or turning against; ceasing or changing one's loyalty") suitable in the context you describe, on the basis that when "knowledgeable people change jobs ... or leave the company ... without imparting that knowledge to others", they have acted disloyally. Also consider betrayal, as to betray has a sense meaning "To prove faithless or treacherous to, ... ; to be false to; to deceive; as, to betray a person or a cause."

The term brain drain is less emotionally-loaded than are defection and betrayal. The referenced wikipedia article uses a term with even less passion in it, human capital flight. It also mentions converse term brain gain and related terms brain circulation and brain waste.

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I'm actually specifically looking to avoid labeling anyone as disloyal - in our company moving between departments is encouraged. Our problem is that loyal, knowledgeable employees have no way of imparting their knowledge to others. These are great words, just not the ones I need. –  Mr. Buster Feb 17 '12 at 18:46

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