The growing importance of internal talent mobility
Types of internal talent mobility
- Vertical mobility: Promotions to higher-level positions within the company.
- Lateral mobility: Transfers to different roles or departments at the same level, offering employees new challenges and opportunities to expand their skills.
- Project-based mobility: Temporary assignments or roles for specific projects, enabling employees to contribute to high-impact initiatives.
- Geographical mobility: Relocation to another office, region, or country as part of global operations.
- Cross-functional mobility: Movement between different functions or divisions, enhancing collaboration and broadening employee expertise.
Which companies can benefit from internal talent mobility?
- Large corporations: With diverse teams and departments, large companies can efficiently allocate resources, fill leadership gaps, and retain talent by promoting internal opportunities.
- Small and medium enterprises (SMEs): SMEs can use internal mobility as well as internal mobility software to maximize the potential of their existing workforce, minimizing the need for costly external hires.
- Multinational companies: For businesses with global operations, geographical mobility ensures key roles are filled in critical markets.
- Project-driven organizations: Companies that operate on project-based models, such as tech startups or consulting firms, can benefit from temporary cross-functional assignments.
The impact on employee engagement
How internal mobility boosts engagement
- Clear growth pathways: When employees know how they can progress within the organization, it cultivates a sense of purpose and belonging. Internal mobility frameworks provide the clarity employees seek in their career journey.
- Empowering employees through technology: Platforms like Talenteer allow organizations to match employees to roles and projects that align with their skills and ambitions. This transparency fosters ownership and enthusiasm for new challenges.
- Upskilling and reskilling opportunities: Training programs integrated into internal mobility programs initiatives give employees the tools they need to grow. This focus on development strengthens their connection to the company.
Discover how Talenteer can help you drive employee engagement and retention through internal talent mobility
How Talenteer supports talent mobility
1. Advanced talent matching
2. Comprehensive talent profiles
3. Streamlined processes
4. Data-driven Insights
How to set up internal mobility at your company
| Step | Goal | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assess current workforce and needs | Understand your organization’s current skills, gaps, and future talent needs. | Start by conducting a comprehensive skills audit. This involves analyzing your workforce's existing capabilities, mapping out current and future job requirements, and identifying where internal talent could fill gaps. Use tools like employee surveys, skill assessments, and performance data to gain insights into your talent pool. This assessment will provide the foundation for designing targeted internal mobility programs. | |
Define internal mobility goals | Establish clear objectives for your mobility program. | Set specific, measurable goals for your internal mobility program. These might include reducing external hiring costs, improving employee retention, or increasing internal promotions. Defining these goals ensures that the program aligns with broader business objectives and provides a benchmark for success. Involve key stakeholders, including HR, talent management, and leadership, to align the program with the company’s long-term strategy. | |
Build a comprehensive internal talent marketplace | Create a transparent and accessible system for matching employees with new opportunities. | Implement a platform that allows employees to explore internal job openings, career development resources, and project-based opportunities. The platform should feature detailed employee profiles, skill tracking, and personalized career recommendations, enabling a seamless transition from one role to another. | |
Promote a culture of internal mobility | Foster an organizational mindset that values internal movement and growth. | Internal mobility isn’t just about filling open roles—it’s about creating a culture where employees feel supported in their career development. Encourage managers to identify potential internal candidates for roles and highlight internal mobility success stories. Ensure that employees understand that career growth within the company is not only possible but encouraged. Leadership should champion internal mobility as a key component of talent retention and engagement strategies. | |
Upskill and reskill employees | Prepare your people for future opportunities through training and development. | Offer learning and development programs that focus on upskilling and reskilling employees for new roles within the organization. Ensure employees have access to the necessary tools and resources to enhance their skills, whether through formal training, mentoring, or job shadowing. Consider integrating AI-driven learning platforms that recommend personalized learning paths based on an employee’s skills and career goals. | |
Communicate and promote opportunities | Ensure employees are aware of internal opportunities. | Use internal communication channels to keep employees informed about open roles, upcoming projects, and internal mobility programs. Regularly promote success stories of employees who have advanced within the company to inspire others to seek new opportunities. Create an internal newsletter or dedicated portal for talent mobility to keep everyone updated and motivated. | |
Monitor, evaluate, and improve | Continuously assess the effectiveness of the program. | Regularly measure the success of your internal mobility program by tracking key metrics like internal promotion rates, time-to-fill roles, employee satisfaction, and retention rates. Use this data to refine your strategy and make adjustments as needed. Set up feedback loops with employees and managers to gather insights on their experiences with internal mobility processes. |
Key metrics for measuring the impact of internal mobility
| Metric | Description | Formula | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
Internal mobility rate | The percentage of roles filled through internal candidates. | (Number of internal hires / Total Number of hires) × 100 | To measure how effectively internal talent is being utilized. |
Time-to-fill for internal roles | Average time it takes to fill a position with an internal candidate. | Total time to fill Internal roles / Number of internal hires | To assess the efficiency of internal hiring processes. |
Employee retention rate | Percentage of employees who stay with the company after internal mobility. | (Number of employees retained / Total number of employees) × 100 | To gauge how internal mobility impacts employee retention. |
Internal promotion rate | Percentage of employees promoted within the company. | (Number of internal promotions / Total number of employees) × 100 | To evaluate how effectively internal mobility supports career growth. |
Employee satisfaction & engagement | Employee sentiment and involvement in the internal mobility process. | Average satisfaction score or Engagement score from surveys. | To measure employee feelings about career growth opportunities. |
Learning and development engagement | Percentage of employees participating in training for internal mobility. | (Employees engaged in learning programs / Total number of employees) × 100 | To determine if employees are preparing for internal mobility. |
Cost savings from reduced external recruitment | Financial impact of filling roles internally rather than hiring externally. | Cost of external recruitment - Cost of internal mobility | To measure cost savings from reducing external recruitment expenses. |
