Recent research completed by Deloitte has revealed what many employees have known for quite some time, most companies are ill-equipped to move talent internally. The business space has changed drastically over the past few decades as power has shifted from companies to employees in the selection of the right fit for a role.
A more accessible global market with improvements in mobility processes allows employees more freedom in career progression. This has forced companies to be more competitive in the hiring of talent, a sharp difference from traditional hiring processes.
Failing Systems
Standard organisational models expect an employee to enter at the bottom and work their way up in a linear manner. Departments are siloed and aren’t actively encouraged to share opportunities and talent.
This standard was logical when an individual was expected to work a few jobs within a single career stream across their lifetime. Changing economic and business environments, with advancements in technology and a broadening global market, means that the average Australian worker is now expected to make five to seven career changes in their lifetime.
As organisational structures continue to flatten and market globalisation forces businesses to extend their reach, hiring processes are going to have to change. Currently hiring managers are not incentivised to look internally for talent, and managers are resistant to sharing team members.
The risk this poses is the loss of talent as they become stagnant in their roles and are forced to look externally for new opportunities. The most common reasons people re-skill for a fresh career are boredom, stress, job insecurity and feeling unappreciated at work. The majority of staff involved in Deloitte’s research stated it was easier to find a new position externally.
From incentivising managers through to clearly advertising internal opportunities, companies must realign hiring procedures to encourage internal mobility to better share and retain talent.
The Benefits of Internal Mobility
Internal mobility provides a range of benefits to the company, including:
- Building better leaders
Rather than losing the hard-earned knowledge of your business and operations, moving talent internally ensures employees gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of business functions. Talent sharing across departments encourages staff retention while empowering them to be better leaders as they naturally progress to higher positions. - Supporting the business
Sharing talent across departments not only encourages knowledge sharing and better employee relations, it also improves creative problem solving as fresh ideas are discussed. Utilising the talent you have on hand for short- or long-term allocations reduces business costs through expensive external hiring processes while simultaneously improving employee engagement. - Boosting employee engagement
Your employees not only complete their day to day tasks to ensure the running of your business, they also represent your business and brand to existing and potential customers. Ensuring their engagement and positive morale will not only be reflected in how they engage with customers, but also ensure they don’t need to look externally for new opportunities.
Internal mobility should be seen as a natural career step for workers wishing to focus on learning and growth, balancing an employees’ desire to develop with a company’s investment in them.
Internal Mobility at Work
As companies continue to adapt to changing market needs and place greater focus on the attainment and retention of high-quality talent, internal mobility will only improve. Studies show that fast growing companies are twice as likely to have strong internal talent mobility processes, as compared to stagnating or companies with negative growth.
This is especially true in leading technology companies, traditional forerunners in setting the standard for employee satisfaction. For example, employees with Spotify change roles every two years on average, and Facebook includes discussions on internal mobility as part of their performance review processes.
Providing internal mobility options to employees increases engagement and reduces staff attrition, while acting as a logical extension of professional development and business flexibility. Expanding global markets require companies to have an equally expanding global reach. The use of internal mobility maintains critical business knowledge while supporting market movements and shifting business focus.
Overall, internal mobility allows for improved business outcomes for both short- and long-term projects, actively placing the right talent on the right team, already armed with company knowledge and a sound understanding of business processes.
