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Finding and retaining skilled talent is a constant challenge. While many organizations focus their efforts on external recruitment, there’s a wealth of untapped potential right within your own ranks. This is where internal mobility comes into play, offering a strategic approach to recruiting that can improve your hiring outcomes, save time and money, and uncover qualified candidates you might have otherwise overlooked.
What is internal mobility?
Internal mobility is when employees move to different roles within an organization. It may also be called career mobility and talent mobility.
Types of internal mobility include:
Advantages of internal mobility
Internal mobility offers numerous benefits for both employers and employees.
Reduced hiring costs
Hiring internally can significantly reduce recruitment expenses. You save on job advertising, external recruiter fees, and the time spent screening and interviewing external candidates. Plus, the onboarding process is often shorter and less intensive for internal hires.
Better cultural fit
Internal candidates are already familiar with your company culture and values. This reduces the risk of a poor cultural fit, which can be a significant issue with external hires.
Increased institutional knowledge
As employees move between roles, they carry their knowledge and experience with them. This helps to spread institutional knowledge throughout the organization, fostering better cross-departmental understanding and collaboration.
Faster time-to-productivity
Internal hires already understand your company culture, processes, and systems. This means they can hit the ground running in their new roles, reducing the time it takes for them to become fully productive.
Enhanced employee engagement
Offering opportunities for internal movement can boost employee motivation and engagement. Employees who feel they have a clear path for advancement are often more committed to their work and the organization.
Improved employee retention
When employees see opportunities for growth within the company, they’re more likely to stay. Internal mobility programs show that you value your employees and are invested in their long-term career development.
Improved succession planning
Internal mobility programs help you identify and develop potential future leaders within your organization. This makes succession planning more effective and ensures a pipeline of qualified internal candidates for key positions.
Enhanced employer brand
A strong internal mobility program can boost your reputation as an employer. It shows that you invest in your employees’ growth, which can help attract top external talent when needed.
Increased workforce agility
By encouraging employees to develop diverse skill sets through internal moves, you create a more flexible and adaptable workforce. This can be crucial in rapidly changing business environments.
Drawbacks of internal mobility
While internal mobility offers many benefits, it’s important to be aware of potential challenges.
Skill gaps
Internal candidates may not always have all the skills required for a new role. This can necessitate additional training and development, which takes time and resources.
Potential for internal conflict
Competition for internal positions can sometimes lead to tension or resentment among employees, especially if the selection process is perceived as unfair.
Risk of creating vacancies
When an employee moves to a new role, it creates a vacancy in their old position. This can lead to a chain reaction of internal moves, potentially disrupting operations.
Limited fresh perspectives
Relying too heavily on internal mobility can limit the influx of new ideas and perspectives that external hires can bring.
Potential for complacency
If employees feel that promotions are guaranteed, it might lead to complacency and reduced motivation to excel in their current roles.
Difficulty in maintaining objectivity
Managers may find it challenging to objectively evaluate internal candidates they know well, potentially leading to biased decisions.
Resistance to change
Some employees may be resistant to changing roles or departments, even if it would benefit their career development and the organization.
Best practices for internal mobility
To maximize the benefits of internal mobility while minimizing potential drawbacks, consider implementing some best practices.
Establish clear policies and processes
Develop comprehensive guidelines for internal mobility
This may include:
Consider creating a policy document that addresses common questions and concerns, such as how internal moves affect compensation or what happens if an employee isn’t selected for a role.
By having these policies and processes well-documented and easily accessible, you create a level playing field for all employees and reduce the potential for misunderstandings or perceived unfairness.
Implement a user-friendly internal job board
An effective internal job board is the cornerstone of a successful internal mobility program. This allows you to store job openings in a central location and more effectively manage your internal recruiting process.
Ensure the job board is easily accessible, integrated with your company’s intranet or HR system. The interface should be intuitive, allowing employees to search for positions based on various criteria such as department and location. Include detailed job descriptions that clearly outline responsibilities, required qualifications, and potential career progression.
To make the application process smooth, allow for easy submission of applications directly through the platform. Regular updates and maintenance of the job board are crucial to keep it relevant and useful.
Encourage manager support
Manager support is vital for the success of any internal mobility program. However, managers may be reluctant to lose their best team members to other departments. To address this, it’s important to cultivate a culture where managers are recognized and rewarded for developing talent, even if it means losing team members to other parts of the organization.
Provide training to managers on how to have career development conversations with their team members, including how to identify potential areas for growth and internal opportunities. Encourage managers to regularly discuss career aspirations with their team members and help them create development plans. Consider implementing a system where a manager’s effectiveness in supporting internal mobility is part of their performance evaluation. This could include metrics such as the number of team members who have successfully moved to new roles within the company.
By fostering this supportive attitude among managers, you create an environment where internal mobility is truly embraced and encouraged at all levels of the organization.
Provide career development resources
Offering robust career development resources is key to preparing employees for internal mobility opportunities.
Start by providing access to a variety of learning and development tools, including:
Also provide resources on how to effectively apply for internal positions, including resume writing tips and interview preparation guidance. Create a library of career path examples within your organization to help employees visualize potential progression routes. And consider implementing job shadowing or “day in the life” programs where employees can get a taste of different roles.
By providing these resources, you empower employees to take charge of their own career development and prepare themselves for internal mobility opportunities.
Communicate openly about opportunities
Open and frequent communication about internal mobility opportunities is crucial for program success.
Develop a communication strategy that regularly informs employees about available positions, upcoming opportunities, and success stories from the internal mobility program. This could involve a mix of channels such as email newsletters, company-wide meetings, departmental briefings, and posts on your internal communication platform.
Be transparent about the benefits of internal mobility, both for individual career growth and for the organization as a whole. Share statistics about internal hiring rates and how they contribute to the company’s success. Consider creating a series of employee spotlights or case studies showcasing individuals who have successfully moved within the company. These real-life examples can inspire others and provide insights into different career paths within the organization. Also, be open about the challenges of internal mobility and how the company supports employees through transitions.
Regular communication not only keeps employees informed but also reinforces the company’s commitment to internal career development.
Align with business strategy
For an internal mobility program to be truly effective, it must align closely with your organization’s overall business strategy.
Start by identifying your company’s long-term goals and the skills and roles that will be crucial for achieving these objectives. Use this information to shape your internal mobility initiatives, focusing on developing and moving talent in ways that support these strategic priorities. For instance, if your company is planning to expand into new markets, your internal mobility program might prioritize developing employees with relevant language skills or cultural knowledge.
Regularly review and adjust your internal mobility strategy as business needs evolve. This might involve working closely with leadership to anticipate future skill requirements and proactively developing internal talent to meet these needs. Consider creating cross-functional teams or task forces that bring together HR, business leaders, and employees to ensure the internal mobility program remains aligned with business objectives.
By maintaining this strategic alignment, you ensure that your internal mobility efforts not only benefit individual employees but also drive the organization forward.
Foster a learning culture
Creating a culture of continuous learning is essential for successful internal mobility. This goes beyond offering training programs; it’s about instilling a mindset where learning and growth are valued and expected.
Encourage employees at all levels to pursue new skills and knowledge, even if they’re not immediately relevant to their current roles. Provide resources and time for learning activities, such as allocating a certain number of hours per month for professional development. Recognize and reward employees who take initiative in their learning and development. Consider implementing a system where employees can share their learning experiences with colleagues, such as through internal presentations or knowledge-sharing sessions. Encourage experimentation and view mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. Leaders should model this behavior by openly discussing their own learning journeys.
By fostering a learning culture, you create an environment where employees are constantly expanding their skills and knowledge, making them more adaptable and ready for new opportunities within the organization.
Implement fair evaluation processes
Ensuring fairness in the evaluation of internal candidates is crucial for maintaining trust in your internal mobility program.
Use a standardized evaluation process for each role that’s based on criteria directly related to the requirements of the role. Consider using assessment tools or skills tests to evaluate candidates’ capabilities objectively. Implement a structured interview process with predetermined questions to ensure all candidates are evaluated on the same basis. It’s also important to have a diverse panel of interviewers to minimize individual biases. Provide training to all those involved in the evaluation process on how to conduct fair assessments and recognize and mitigate unconscious biases. Consider implementing a blind review process for initial application screenings, where identifying information is removed from applications.
Be transparent about the evaluation criteria and process, and provide constructive feedback to all internal candidates, regardless of the outcome. Ensuring a fair and transparent evaluation process maintains the integrity of your internal mobility program and encourages continued participation.
Celebrate internal moves
Recognizing and celebrating internal moves is a powerful way to reinforce the value of your internal mobility program.
When an employee successfully transitions to a new role, make it a point to announce and celebrate this achievement. This could be done through company-wide emails, mentions in team meetings, or features on your internal communication platform. Consider organizing small welcome events for employees starting new roles, involving both their previous and new teams. This not only celebrates the moving employee but also facilitates networking and knowledge sharing.
Share success stories of internal moves, highlighting how the employee’s previous experience contributes to their new role and how the move benefits both the individual and the organization. You might make space to highlight internal moves in your company all hands meetings to consistently showcase these successes.
Celebrating internal moves creates positive visibility for your internal mobility program, encourages others to consider internal opportunities, and reinforces a culture that values employee growth and development.
Provide transition support
Supporting employees through their transition to new roles is crucial for the success of internal moves.
Develop a structured onboarding process specifically for internal movers, which acknowledges their existing company knowledge while introducing them to the specifics of their new role and team.
This might include:
Consider implementing a “hand-over” period where the employee can gradually transition from their old role to the new one, especially for mission-critical positions.
By offering comprehensive transition support, you increase the likelihood of successful internal moves and demonstrate your commitment to employee success.
Measure and analyze program effectiveness
To ensure the ongoing success of your internal mobility program, it’s essential to regularly measure and analyze its effectiveness.
Start by identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your program goals. These might include metrics such as internal fill rate (the percentage of open positions filled by internal candidates), time-to-productivity for internal hires compared to external hires, retention rates of internal movers, and employee satisfaction with the program. Regularly collect data on these metrics and analyze trends over time.
Conduct surveys or focus groups with employees who have participated in internal moves to gather qualitative feedback on their experiences. Also, seek input from hiring managers on the performance of internal hires. Use this data to identify areas of success and opportunities for improvement in your program.
Consider creating a dashboard to visualize key metrics and share insights with leadership. Regularly review this data and use it to make informed decisions about program adjustments or enhancements.
By consistently measuring and analyzing your internal mobility efforts, you can continuously refine and improve your program to better serve both employees and the organization.
Integrate with performance management
Aligning your internal mobility program with your performance management system creates a powerful synergy that can drive both individual and organizational success.
During regular performance reviews, include discussions about career aspirations and potential internal mobility opportunities. Train managers to have these conversations effectively, helping employees see how their current performance connects to future opportunities within the organization.
Consider incorporating internal mobility goals into employees’ development plans. For instance, an employee might set a goal to complete a specific training course or gain experience in a particular area to prepare for a future internal move.
Use performance data to identify high-potential employees who might be ready for new challenges or responsibilities. However, be careful not to limit internal mobility opportunities only to top performers – consider how internal moves might motivate and develop employees at all performance levels. Ensure that your performance management system captures not just an employee’s performance in their current role, but also their potential for other roles within the organization.
By integrating internal mobility with performance management, you create a more holistic approach to talent development and career progression.
Consider temporary assignments
Implementing a system for temporary assignments or projects can be an excellent way to promote internal mobility without the commitment of permanent role changes. These short-term opportunities allow employees to gain experience in different areas of the business, develop new skills, and expand their network within the organization.
Start by creating a formal process for proposing and approving temporary assignments. This might include a database of available projects or short-term needs across different departments.
Encourage managers to consider using temporary assignments to fill short-term gaps or to bring fresh perspectives to specific projects. For employees, temporary assignments offer a low-risk way to explore different roles or departments. They can “test the waters” in a new area without fully committing to a career change. These assignments also foster cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing.
When implementing temporary assignments, be clear about the duration, objectives, and how the employee’s performance will be evaluated. Also, consider how these assignments will be balanced with the employee’s regular responsibilities.
By offering temporary assignments, you create a more fluid and adaptable workforce while providing valuable development opportunities for your employees.
Leverage technology
Technology can play a crucial role in streamlining and enhancing your internal mobility program.
For example:
By leveraging technology effectively, you can make your internal mobility program more efficient, accessible, and data-driven, ultimately enhancing its impact on both employee development and organizational success.
Final thoughts on internal mobility
Internal mobility is a powerful strategy that can transform your approach to talent acquisition and talent management. By tapping into the potential of your existing workforce, you can streamline your hiring process, reduce recruitment costs, and identify qualified candidates more effectively. It’s a win-win approach that benefits both your organization and your employees.
As you embark on or refine your internal mobility journey, keep in mind that it’s an ongoing process. Regularly assess the effectiveness of your program, gather feedback from employees, and be prepared to make adjustments as needed.
