Improving Internal Mobility Practices

The "war for talent" continues, but many companies are stuck using the same hiring and retention strategies they've relied on for decades. These methods might keep employees a bit longer, but they still leave. Why? Because it's not just about perks or compensation—it's about the experience. A recent, thought-provoking Harvard Business Review article by Ethan Bernstein, Michael Horn and Bob Moesta suggests that employees crave meaningful work, to feel valued, trusted, and have room to grow. After studying job switchers for 15 years, they identified four key reasons for why employees leave: 1. Get out: They're in a toxic environment or feel stuck in a role that doesn’t align with their strengths. 2. Regain control: They need more flexibility or predictability in their work-life balance. 3. Regain alignment: They’re seeking a job where their skills and talents are fully utilized and appreciated. 4. Take the next step: They’re ready for growth and new responsibilities after reaching a milestone. So what can leaders do to create the experiences people actually need? Here are three specific strategies the article suggests: (a) Interview people early: Don't wait until employees are leaving. Have regular, meaningful conversations about their career goals and motivations. (b) Develop “shadow” job descriptions: Go beyond vague or outdated job descriptions—focus on the real day-to-day tasks and experiences that make the role fulfilling. (c) Collaborate with HR: Work with HR to design roles that align both the organization's needs and the employee's personal growth goals. By addressing these deeper factors, companies can reduce costly turnover and build workplaces where people thrive and want to stay. How is your organization aligning employee experience with retention strategies? #leadership #talentdevelopment #employeeexperience #retention #growth #workplaceculture https://lnkd.in/dJzU2aTm

🔥 What if the “perfect candidate” isn’t someone you need to find... but someone you already have? A hiring manager spent 6 months trying to fill one role. They screened 40 resumes. Interviewed 12 people. No one was “quite right.” Too junior. Wrong industry. Missing that one last skill. And then someone asked: 👉 “What about Maya?” She was internal. Didn’t have the exact title. Didn’t check every box. But… ✅ She was a high performer ✅ She understood the product ✅ She had untapped potential ✅ She wanted the opportunity So they gave her a chance. Six months later: 🚀 Maya was outperforming every external candidate they’d interviewed 🚀 She ramped faster than anyone expected 🚀 She brought energy, context, and loyalty 🚀 Today, she leads a team of her own 🧠 What can we learn from this? Sometimes the best hire is already on your team. Internal mobility is: 🔹 Faster 🔹 More cost-effective 🔹 Better for retention 🔹 A vote of confidence in your culture And yet most companies ignore it. Why? Because they chase pedigree over potential And miss the talent that’s been in front of them the whole time 💬 Before you open that next req, ask yourself: • Who on my team is ready for a stretch opportunity? • Are we rewarding loyalty or just resume polish? • Is this really a hiring problem — or a development one? 📣 The companies winning in 2025 are not the ones with the biggest talent budget. They’re the ones who know how to recognize and grow what they already have. 💡 Have you ever hired someone who didn’t check all the boxes but turned out to be a rockstar? Let’s hear your stories! 🔁 Know a hiring manager stuck on the “perfect fit” mindset? Repost to spread the word #Hiring #InternalMobility #TalentDevelopment #CareerGrowth #Leadership

It’s not a secret that talent is at the center of every high-performing organization. Identifying and developing high potentials is a core principle that has been particularly important to me and the companies that I have both served and led over my 40+ year career. Your best managers are at the heart of where you are today and the foundation for your successes in the future. I recently had someone ask me about my experience and thoughts on identifying and growing talent. I thought others might benefit from the information, so I am dropping a few thoughts here. Look inside first. Identify your high potentials and curate a pool. These are individuals who demonstrate traits and skill sets that will enable you to accelerate future growth. I always insisted that there were members of the pool from every department. If a department leader could not identify a high potential, we knew that we had an issue in that department. Don’t be afraid to give up your best managers for growth opportunities within the organization. By doing this, you will grow that individual while creating space and opportunities for emerging talent. We actively groomed our high-potential pool to mitigate the risk of losing them to competitors but, more importantly, to realize the compounded value that they would create for our organization. In the event we lost a great manager to a competitor or another industry, we embraced the opportunity to elevate and grow inside talent. Each year, executive leadership would host a two-day session where we would meet one-on-one with 20-40 high potentials. At the end of day one, we would host a dinner with everyone. At the end of the meetings on day two, the leaders would take a silent vote to rank the top 25% of the pool in order. There was always lively discussion. The top people in the pool were identified to get the next executive openings in that order. I would call the top 5/10 to congratulate them. Our leadership team split up the list of high potentials that did not make the shortlist to thank them and encourage them to continue on their growth path. Not only was it a badge of honor to be identified as a high potential, the program served as a great motivation tool throughout the organization. Your human resource department is critical to the success of a program like this. Not only do they know the high potentials and have a vested interest in talent growth, but they can also ensure structure, consistency, continuity, and accountability across the entire company. Note that developing talent takes time. Thus, the word “potential.” These are future greats who have demonstrated ability, mindset, and values. Bring your patience, your listening skills, and your support. Get to know them personally. Uncover their professional aspirations. Identify what drives them. And find opportunities for them to stretch and be uncomfortable. It’s in those moments that high potentials break through the ceiling and go from being good to being great.

There’s a common reason why internal candidates miss out on internal opportunities. They think the process will be easier and don’t prep the way they would for an external opportunity. Core job search rules still apply: >Prep is the best action plan. >The opportunity is competitive, maybe even more than an external role. >You still have to make a positive impression, especially if you don’t know the interviewer. The most common mistake I see is that internal candidates fail to fully communicate why they’re the best fit for the new role. They just assume that the interviewers will know. Even if you have a great reputation in your current role, you will need to make the case for why you want to make the move and how you’re well suited for it. They may associate you with your current job or level and not see your full potential. Be prepared to make your case when answering questions like, “Why is this the right next step for you?” and “Why now?” Of course, internal candidates also have some advantages, so don’t hold back from making the most of them. >You know the company and the industry well and won’t have a major learning curve >You have a reputation for good work/reliability/culture fit >You have advocates who can vouch for you. >You may have access to insider info (like why the job’s open, the hiring manager’s preferences, etc.). Just remember that you can’t get by on your good rep alone. If you don’t sell them on your fit for the specific position, they may opt for an external candidate who seems more qualified or enthusiastic. Striking a balance is critical in this process, and I’m one message away if you need help. : )

How do I get promoted? When do I get promoted? And what are you doing to invest in my professional growth? Ever had an employee ask that — and you didn’t have a great answer? You’re not alone. And no, you’re not a bad leader. But those question matter. Because when people can’t picture their future at work, they start imagining it elsewhere. 👉 This isn’t just about promotions. 👉 It’s not about perks. 👉 It’s about clarity — and the foggier the vision is, the more expensive it’s becoming for you.  Here’s the hard truth: 𝐍𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 = 𝐧𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐍𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 = 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 💸 It costs 33% of an employee’s salary to replace them, and that’s only the financial cost. 📉 Companies with poor internal mobility suffer higher turnover and lower performance. 💔 More than half of employees would leave due to lack of growth or skill development. It’s not that employees expect constant promotions — they just want to grow. That could mean leading a project, switching teams, learning something new, or finally being seen for their skills. The good news? To fix this, you just need intention and a better map. Here’s where to start: ✅ Map roles to skills (not just titles) ✅ Celebrate lateral moves as much as promotions ✅ Talk growth in every 1:1, not just performance reviews ✅ Make internal mobility visible, equitable, and actionable ✅ Use skill-based frameworks to guide every step Because growth isn’t just about climbing a ladder — it’s navigating a system with multiple paths, and knowing someone has your back. 📈 94% 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩. So ask yourself: Can your employees picture their future here? If not, let’s change that. 👉Check out more here: https://lnkd.in/gKbxZnfm #CareerGrowth #PeopleStrategy #InternalMobility #SkillsBasedHiring #EmployeeEngagement #FutureOfWork #HRLeadership #CareerDevelopment #CareerPathing #TalentStrategy #LearningandDevelopment #TalentDevelopment 

"I'm stuck in my role, but I don't know what else I'd want to do." Sound familiar? I shared a clarity tool on Prashha Dutra's podcast — the Gig Assignment Approach. Here’s the part most companies miss: Your best talent is often your most restless talent. They’re top performers in their current roles... But quietly browsing LinkedIn thinking, “what’s next?” Instead of losing them to a competitor — what if you gave them room to explore... within your walls? Enter: The Four Career Quadrant Model ↓ What you thrive at (and love doing) What you want to learn (growth opportunities) What you succeed at (but drains you) What you feel obligated to do (but shouldn’t) Smart orgs are using this framework to build internal gig opportunities. What this looks like in real life: → Your marketing director shadows the product team → Your finance lead pilots a people ops project → Your engineer dives into customer success The magic isn’t just in the shift — it’s in the reflection: What energized you? What felt like work? What surprised you about yourself? This is not just retention. (It is that — employee retention rises 40% when people feel heard.) But it’s also smart strategy. ✔️ Cross-functional innovation increases ✔️ Internal hiring reduces recruiting costs ✔️ Engagement skyrockets ✔️ Hidden strengths are uncovered One client — an analyst — felt boxed in. Through gig assignments, she uncovered an interest for L&D. Today? She leads Learning & Development for her division. It started with this one question: “What would you explore if failure wasn’t an option?” Let them answer. Then create safe space to try. 🎧 Full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eR7veqzf HR Leaders — what could gig opportunities unlock in your team? ♻️ Repost this if your org could benefit from this model. #GigAssignments #CareerDevelopment #TalentRetention #InternalMobility #EmployeeEngagement #HRLeadership #CareerExploration #WorkforceInnovation #MindfulLeadership #ProfessionalGrowth #OrganizationalDevelopment

4 months ago, I was brought in by a mid-sized tech company with a persistent retention problem in one of their key teams. The department was burning through good people. Roles were staying open too long. Exit interviews kept saying the same thing: “There’s no clear path here, and I don’t trust things will change.” The CEO asked me: “Should we offer retention bonuses? More perks? Replace the manager?” Here’s what I told them: Retention problems don’t start with perks. They start with leadership and the system you’ve built around it. When one department keeps losing talent, here’s where I look: ✅ Get the real story. Don’t guess. Run anonymous stay interviews, pulse checks, and direct conversations. Find the patterns behind why good people leave — and why some stay despite the pain. ✅ Look beyond the leader. Yes, people quit bosses — but they also quit broken systems. Is the workload sustainable? Are there role conflicts with other teams? Are priorities clear, or does chaos drive burnout? Fix the friction points, not just the person. ✅ Hold up the manager’s shadow. If the leader is the issue, coach them fast and visibly. Do they create clarity? Do they advocate for growth? Do they build trust? If not, get specific about what needs to change — and make accountability real. ✅ Make retention a shared responsibility. Bring in senior leaders, HR, and peers. Use peer mentoring, cross-team projects, or job swaps. Good people stay when they see opportunity across the business, not just in one seat. ✅ Spot and reward what works. Identify the leaders who quietly keep teams engaged. What do they do differently? Share those practices. Make it normal to recognize and reward retention-positive behaviors. ✅ Build an internal mobility mindset. Some people leave because they see no next step. Proactively map where talent can move across teams. Support managers in championing those moves — it’s cheaper than losing top talent to competitors. ✅ Act fast — and visibly. Retention problems multiply in silence. Communicate what you hear. Close feedback loops. Take visible action. Sometimes trust alone is the first thing you need to fix. When I worked with this client, we didn’t just throw money at the problem. We tackled the system, supported the leader, opened new pathways for growth, and made retention of everyone’s business. Six months later? Turnover dropped by 25%. The team’s reputation flipped from “career dead-end” to “where people grow.” Retention is never just a number ; it’s a mirror for your leadership and your systems. I’d love to hear from you: Do you agree or disagree? What’s worked for you when you faced a retention problem? Got a retention challenge on your mind? My DMs are open. Let’s make sure you’re not solving the wrong problem.

What if the secret to reducing turnover wasn’t higher wages, better benefits, or even improved working conditions? What if it was as simple as showing employees a future from day one? At Biscuitville Fresh Southern, they’re proving that career growth isn’t a promise, it’s a plan. And it starts the moment a new hire walks through the door. My latest guests, Kailey Skinner, Instructional Design and Learning Manager, and Lekhika Patel, Sr. Director of Training and Development and Operation Service, shared how their team has built an internal pipeline that keeps employees engaged, reduces turnover, and fuels long-term business success. At the heart of their strategy is a simple but powerful concept. Employees stay where they see opportunity. That’s why, on day one, every new team member at Biscuitville Fresh Southern watches a welcome video that lays out exactly how they can grow within the company. This isn’t lip service. Biscuitville has a 70/30 internal promotion goal, meaning 70% of leadership roles are filled from within. And they don’t stop at a one-time message, this philosophy is reinforced throughout training and daily operations. Their managers aren’t just talking about growth. They’re living proof. Many started at entry-level roles and climbed the ranks. When Biscuitville opens a new store, these leaders share their personal journeys, showing new hires that success isn’t just possible, it’s expected. And the results? ✅ Employees who feel invested in from day one. ✅ Lower turnover at the management level (less than 30% at the operator level). ✅ A strong, experienced leadership pipeline that keeps the company culture intact as they expand. Biscuitville is opening 8-10 new restaurants each year, and they’re not scrambling to find talent. Instead, they’re growing it in-house, tapping into a workforce that’s already trained, experienced, and aligned with their mission. Too many companies view frontline roles as temporary, investing just enough to keep the lights on. But the businesses that thrive know better—when you treat your employees like they’ll stay, they actually do. Does your company have a clear path for internal growth? Check out the full episode with Kailey Skinner and Lekhika Patel in the comments below! 👇

A LinkedIn learning study highlighted that when people change jobs internally, their perception of growth opportunities greatly increases, and they're 75% more likely to stay with their company for longer than two years. David Landman, and the team at Goldman Sachs, came to the same conclusion. While they had always experienced a robust movement of talent across the firm, they realized that there was still a good portion of their people who found it difficult to navigate internal mobility at Goldman. Rather than attempting to navigate an internal move, people were choosing to leave instead. So, through extensive employee listening and focus groups related to internal mobility, David and his team identified 3 key opportunities for improvement. ⬇️ 1️⃣ Access & Visibility Employees couldn’t see the various pathways and opportunities within Goldman Sachs. To solve this, they implemented tech to give employees’ visibility into how their skills align with the opportunities available. 2️⃣ Mindset Change Managers were having difficulty letting go of their team members because of the perceived difficulty in finding replacements. They needed to shift the mindset from a mindset of talent scarcity to one of talent abundance by developing an ecosystem for talent mobility and creating a supply-demand balance of talent within the organization. “If that manager knows that if they develop that person, help them find their next role, there’s 10 other people waiting because we’ve got an ecosystem of shared talent, and in a way in which we can connect the supply and demand of talent. That’s going to actually help start to change that mindset.” 3️⃣ Policy reform The third opportunity was with Goldman Sachs’s policies regarding employee mobility, specifically policies dictating how long an employee should stay in their current job before being eligible for the next one, and the length of the transition period. So, they standardized these policies, and aligned them with their intention of encouraging more mobility within the organization. Link to the full episode in the comments. ________ 🔔 Want more MPL content? Follow our page or subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. #internalmobility #talentmobility #HR #CHRO #humanresources #talentdevelopment #HRpodcast #humanresourcespodcast #modernpeopleleader

𝐀 $𝟓𝐌 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦—𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐐𝟐. Not through a new retention program. Not through exit interviews. But through people analytics. One of our enterprise clients noticed an unexpected spike in high-performer exits—specifically in two product teams. Instead of guessing, their HRBP used early warning signals from internal mobility, engagement dips, and compensation mismatches. They uncovered a pattern: Mid-level engineers weren’t leaving for money—they were leaving for 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡. And this need an fix → A rapid redesign of career pathing and peer mentorship across engineering. Three months later: → Voluntary attrition dropped by 𝟑𝟔% → Internal mobility rose by 𝟐𝟐% → Estimated cost avoidance? $𝟓𝐌+ This isn’t a one-off. According to Deloitte, companies using advanced people analytics are 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐩𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 and 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. But what really matters: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐱 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞. And too many leaders are still leading blind. Data isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠—especially when your people are your biggest investment. #CHRO #HR #Dataanalytics #Datainsights #LeadershipPipelines