Boosting your internal mobility in 2024

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The war for talent isn’t over. Here’s why internal mobility is the answer to talent challenges this year, and how to create strong internal mobility in your organisation

THE AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS is reporting a record-low unemployment rate, which means the competition for top talent among Australian organisations is fierce. As a result, companies are increasingly recognising the need for a strong internal mobility strategy to retain their best people. According to Paul Broughton, head of Asia-Pacific and Japan at Cornerstone OnDemand, the need for internal mobility is hardly a new trend. But with significant economic and geopolitical challenges on the horizon, as well as the appearance of AI and the lasting impacts of COVID-19, the world of HR has become incredibly dynamic. For an organisation to perform well in this environment, it needs to place a lot of importance on the growth, development and engagement of its top talent.

Cornerstone powers the future-ready workforce with its leading AI-driven talent experience platform designed to unite technology, data and content and inspire a work environment of growth, agility and success at scale. With Cornerstone, organisations modernise their learning and development experience, deliver the most relevant content from anywhere, accelerate talent and career mobility and establish skills as the universal language of growth and success across their businesses. Cornerstone serves over 7,000 customers and more than 125 million users and is available in 180 countries and 50 languages.

“We know from our research that high-performing organisations and their employees have clear alignment between organisational goals, investment and employee confidence in developing their skills and careers”

Paul Broughton, Cornerstone OnDemand

When it comes to the ‘why?’, the statistics speak for themselves. Cornerstone OnDemand’s research reveals that three out of four employees are interested in exploring career opportunities with their current employer – and the same proportion are asking about internal mobility during the hiring process. “Imagine that. They haven’t even joined your company yet, and they’re already asking what opportunities they’ll have to grow, develop and move around the business,” Broughton tells HRD.

“It’s very top of mind, and if you’re not providing that opportunity, then you’ll face the challenge of attrition and competition.” The cost of turnover is also a significant factor. Losing your best and brightest can have a huge impact on your bottom line, and Broughton estimates the cost could be anything from half to double that employee's salary. “The obvious cost is that of replacing the employee, as well as the lost productivity that naturally impacts business revenue and customer satisfaction,” he explains.

“But there are also hidden costs; for example, the impact on morale. If a team sees a great performer leave, they’ll wonder what went wrong, and there’ll be an atmosphere of concern and instability. That work may also get distributed, which will also impact engagement and morale.” At a time when hiring is taking longer than ever before, the importance of strong internal mobility can’t be overstated. Broughton notes that HR professionals understand the need for a well-functioning mobility strategy, and they’re putting a lot of effort into driving businesses towards where they need to be.

Broughton says companies are also investing more resources into mobility, which is a promising start. But if there’s a disconnect between the design of your programs and the level of visibility that employees actually have, then it simply won’t be as impactful. “We see this play out in top-performing companies,” Broughton says. “We know from our research that high-performing organisations and their employees have clear alignment between organisational goals, investment, and employee confidence in developing their skills and careers. These employers are making a targeted investment, and employees feel that they can consume that investment. If there’s a disconnect there, we call it the ‘skills confidence gap’, and we typically see that in laggard companies.”

“Business needs are constantly evolving. Making sure you have the right skills and capabilities internally to grow, and the right solutions and technology to support this growth – that’s the key”

Paul Broughton, Cornerstone OnDemand

So, what can HR leaders do? According to Broughton, visibility should be front and centre of your strategy. This means sharing open positions, projects and initiatives, and having regular and ongoing growth conversations with employees. “This isn’t a once-a-year discussion; it should be a regular conversation on how each employee is doing and what development opportunities they have,” he explains. Encouraging talent sharing between departments and roles is also an important step. Broughton says that companies occasionally struggle with ‘talent hoarding’ – which is understandable, given managers rarely want to lose their best people. But he notes that if those people aren’t provided with growth opportunities, they will end up leaving regardless. “A manager might have a really successful team, but they need to foster an environment that allows their best people to consider other options and grow and develop,” he says. “The best companies lead from the top down, with the C-suite thinking about what’s best for the business, the employees and the environment. That filters down to the frontline managers and the employees, and that’s where you’ll see the impact of a strong mobility strategy.”

For an organisation to succeed in its mobility goals, having the right tools is vital. Cornerstone’s research shows that 80% of employees prefer to explore internal career opportunities through technology first before talking to their direct manager, highlighting the importance of leveraging solutions to encourage a culture of mobility. As one of the global leaders in this space, Cornerstone OnDemand has access to a vast amount of data – over 100 million users visit the platform every day, which has over 7,000 customers across the globe. Its AI-driven tools have the power to assess who is moving where, which skills are in high demand across different industries, and the learning journeys that other users have taken to reach their goals. It can also assess where an individual employee is on their journey today and recommend courses to help develop their skills based on their experience and interests. “It can suggest career paths and open jobs, projects or secondments related to what you’re interested in,” Broughton says.

Why foster internal mobility?

Building a strong internal mobility strategy

Published 18 Mar 2024

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Talent mobility: A key pathway to success for employers

Source: Talent Health Index 2023

of high-performing organisations emphasise tailored, comprehensive career guidance

95%

of APAC employees rate their organisations as successful in talent mobility

46%

Driving mobility through technology

“If you’re ready for the role today, you could take on development that’s related to the additional skills required in that role. If you’re not quite ready yet, the tools can say, ‘here’s the journey’, and allow you to work towards those skills. The journey feels personal to each employee by connecting their goals to the company’s goals.” Internal mobility is quickly becoming the pathway to meeting talent challenges and establishing your business as a top-performing organisation. The message is simple – if you take the time to invest in your people’s growth and development, you will see the results across every level of the business.

Source: Talent Health Index 2023

of employers in Australia and NZ are confident in their ability to develop skills, compared to 67% of employees

89%

of employers in Australia and NZ feel they are equipped with the resources to develop skills, compared to 64% of employees

81%

Skills development: how employees see it

“Business needs are constantly evolving,” Broughton concludes. “Making sure you have the right skills and capabilities internally to grow, and the right solutions and technology to support this growth – that’s the key.” To find out more about Cornerstone OnDemand, its AI-driven tools and how they can help your organisation boost its internal mobility, click here.

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Paul Broughton, Cornerstone OnDemand

Driving mobility through technology

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