Make the most of internal mobility in your recruitment drive
Internal mobility and career development are strategic levers for your recruitment policy, to deploy the full potential of your human capital and retain your talents.
But this can't be improvised. You need to juggle their aspirations and possible frustrations, without losing sight of the company's development strategy.
One of the tasks of the human resources department is to anticipate job changes and recruitment needs. To do this, it needs the unfailing collaboration of the various team managers.
Why recruit an external resource when the rare pearl may be to be found in-house? Discover the advantages of internal mobility, internal recruitment and tips for optimizing this process:
What is internal mobility?
Definition
Internal mobility is a change of position or function within a company.
More precisely, it may involve :
- horizontal (cross-functional) mobility, or internal recruitment,
the versatile employee moves within or between departments, but the status and hierarchical level remain the same; - vertical mobility, or promotion: the employee moves up the hierarchy, with greater responsibilities and a higher salary.
☝️ For a group with subsidiaries, geographical mobility also implies a change of establishment and therefore of workplace, often as part of a reorganization of the structure. This is possible if a mobility clause is included in the employment contract.
☝️ In the French Territorial Civil Service(FPT), internal mobility is frequent, and takes the form of a transfer within the local authority or public establishment.
Internal mobility: example
➡️ If an employee starts out in a company as a graphic designer and promotes her marketing studies to her superiors, who offer her a position as web marketing manager, this is horizontal internal mobility.
⬆️ Later, if she proves herself and increases her skills, she can apply for the position of marketing strategy manager. In this case, it's vertical internal mobility.
Why encourage internal mobility?
Whether voluntary or managed, i.e. on the initiative of the employee, department manager or HR manager, internal mobility offers numerous advantages for both parties.
Save time and reduce recruitment risks
Employees moving internally need time to adapt to their new position, but are already familiar with the company's culture, development strategy and operations: no need for onboarding or integration time.
What's more, the employer knows the value of the "displaced" employee, not always that of the new recruit. The risk of a recruitment failure is totally eliminated.
Employee recognition and commitment
A company that appreciates and promotes the skills of its internal resources gives them priority on job vacancies.
The feeling of security, trust and appreciation is not only gratifying, but also a source of motivation and well-being at work.
It's a real investment in human capital, a win/win strategy.
Increased performance and productivity
It's normal for professional aspirations to evolve over the course of a career, so stay tuned to identify the opportunities they offer for your company's development.
The right employee in the right job can make all the difference, and his or her self-fulfilment is inspiring and motivating for all employees.
Talent retention
If management is attentive and responds, as far as possible, to employees' requests for job changes or new missions, it promotes talent retention and prevents brain drain, particularly to competitors.
Employer brand development
All the benefits here are interlinked, as evidenced by the fact that the final advantage presented is the enhancement of the employer brand.
It's obvious: happy employees enhance their company's image both internally and externally.
External candidates appreciate the potential for career development, and the seniority of employees is inevitably more reassuring than high turnover. turnover.
Disadvantages of internal mobility
For the company
- Internal mobility implies finding a replacement for the position vacated, i.e. another compatible internal resource, or an external recruitment campaign.
- What's more, it's very difficult to estimate the return on investment of an internal mobility policy: the latter is often considered more economical, but it still involves costs in terms of training, HR follow-up, and sometimes the cost of relocation.
- Finally, not all positions are eligible for internal recruitment, especially those requiring highly technical skills. It's important to take the time to distinguish between positions open to internal candidates.
What's more, a new recruit often brings a fresh vision and a new dynamic, which can be an asset in terms of innovation.
For the employee
According to a study by Hays in 2019, one of the disadvantages of internal mobility lies in HR communication, a source of potential frustration.
The lack of opportunities often conceals a problem of transparency about available offers, especially in large companies.
Nor is internal mobility an advantage when it comes to negotiating the best possible salary. Employees have the impression that they are already being done a favor by having their position upgraded.
Finally, by staying in the same environment, some employees are also afraid :
- not getting out of their work routineenough ;
- not developing enough new skills,
- of feeling jealous of their colleagues, etc.
How to optimize internal mobility? Tips and best practices
Integrate mobility into your HR strategy
Properly defined as part of your HR strategy, internal mobility is not only a lever for developing human capital, but also a tool for anticipation.
Anchored in a forward-looking jobs and skills management system (GPEC), it enables you to match the company's needs with the wishes of its staff.
✅ A few tips:
- consider internal mobilitypossibilities right from the recruitment stage;
- identify positions requiring skills upgrading, as well as employees with untapped talents;
- anticipate future job creations and changes (maternity leave, retirements, mergers or divisions of departments, etc.);
- plan for the potential impact of internal mobility in your HR budget;
- define training plans, such as COOCs, etc.
Careful HR communication
This is one of the disadvantages discussed above: poor or absent communication is an obstacle to internal mobility.
✅ A few tips:
- don't forget to promote vacancies internally, via the corporate social network (CSN) or at a seminar for example, and avoid compartmentalizing information at all costs;
- clearly specify the conditions under which an internal job application is accepted, to anticipate questions and frustrations.
Ensure rigorous HR follow-up
To save time and make sure you have everything you need, keep a close eye on your human resources.
✅ A few tips :
- map out the profiles and skills you have in-house, and keep it up to date with any changes;
- include questions on internal mobility in annual or professional interviews;
- involve employees in the evaluation of their positions and key skills, to identify needs and gaps;
- keep track of their career paths, even previous ones, as well as the history of their wishes and assignments, to inspire and facilitate your internal recruitment campaigns.
Adopt internal mobility tools
Internal mobility tools should facilitate the centralization and sharing of information between HR managers, management and employees. For maximum transparency, employees should be able to :
- update their CVs and career paths via a dedicated portal ;
- express their desire for mobility;
- consult and respond to internal job offers.
As internal mobility is a major issue, and not only for recruitment strategy, several types of HR tools are focusing on it, such as :
- recruitment software incorporating an internal mobility module;
Softy, for example, offers a platform linked to the career site, giving priority to job offers dedicated to internal mobility and visible only to company employees. External candidates can view the same advertisements offline; - Talent management software, including :
- career management, interviews and assessments,
- forward-looking management of jobs and skills (GPEC);
- HRIS, encompassing all these modules, for larger HR departments.
Whatever your choice, capitalize on your internal resources whenever possible!
Internal mobility is a significant lever for competitiveness and talent development, benefiting both employees and the company.
Article translated from French