When your company enters a new market, shifts its strategic focus, or wants to launch a new product, it’s not enough to have good hiring practices in place. You’ll also need talent on hand who are ready to re-align or pivot to a new role—that’s called Talent Mobility.

If your company is already using Talent Mobility processes to keep up with the ever-changing global economy, you’re ready to meet these challenges head-on. If not, you’ll want to read this guide we’ve developed at Relocation Today to create or boost your Talent Mobility best practices.

What Is Talent Mobility?

Diving deeper, Talent Mobility is “…the process of moving talent from role to role. In other words: The right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time” (PageUp). Talent Mobility uses each of the following tactics to transition skills and increase efficiencies across your organization: 

  • Promotions or secondments
  • Special assignments
  • Short-term working relationships (freelancers, virtual workers, etc.)
  • Cross-border moves

Do you know where your company stands on Talent Mobility? Unfortunately, not many do, according to a recent study by talent management company PageUp. Only 41% of respondents to the study believed “their company has an established or mature process for moving talent between roles,” while “just 37% understood current skill gaps”.

So, how do you increase your visibility over your talent pool and create pathways for better employee engagement?

5 Ways to Build and Improve Your Talent Mobility Processes

When it comes to internal hiring, too many companies rely on the practice of posting a needed position inside the organization for a week and hoping for a few bites before opening it to the general public. When studies show that internal hires perform better at their jobs, your company’s focus needs to be on improving your Talent Mobility best practices for smoother movement throughout your organization.

Here are 5 ways to do it:

Change the culture from the top.

Agility is the main keyword when it comes to Talent Mobility. Ensure your leadership and human resources teams are on the same page regarding how to identify mobility pathways. Get input from everyone involved on which methods your company wants to use, whether that’s internal hiring targets or incentivizing your employees. 

The way through is not always up.

While it’s true that promotions will always drive employees, recent trends show that new challenges and skill development are just as important. Sideways mobility towards a new position, temporary job swaps, or part-time projects allow these employees to play the long game with their careers by becoming more well-rounded, sometimes leading to an even more meaningful promotion down the line.

Harness the powers of data & technology.

Is your talent management software helping or hindering you from visualizing your Talent Mobility pathways? If it’s the second option, it may be time to explore new software to identify, grow, and measure internal talent.

Invest in a mentorship program.

According to a Deloitte Millennial survey, having dedicated mentors in place could boost employee loyalty by 34%—a significant number when it comes to the newest working generations. That’s because a mentorship program lifts the morale of your employees, fosters retention, builds internal relationships, leads to faster and more efficient training, and appears attractive to external recruits. 

Never stop mobilizing.

If your company is agile enough to change with the demanding global market, your mobility pathways should be, too. Set up a committee of team members across the organization to offer continual input on where they see new pathways for your talent pool.

Ready to Review Your Talent Mobility Processes?

Restructuring your company’s internal hiring strategy takes work, but the rewards of a structured Talent Mobility program will make an effort worth it. By lowering your recruitment costs and lead time for onboarding and training, your organization will stay agile enough to pivot with the ever-changing marketplace.

Check out our blog for more resources on mobilizing your talent—including any physical relocations. We also have in-house policy experts at Relocation Today who will keep you competitive and up-to-date with talent mobility assistance and practices, so reach out any time with questions or for a consultation. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *