Career mobility is the new black

Why mobility, upskilling, and succession planning should be every CEO’s #1 priority

    By Lizzie Allen

While 2023 saw record growth in Australian banks, mining, and some retail, many organisations remain in survival mode, battling the rising costs of doing business, reduced customer spending, and a turbulent talent market. For these organisations to weather the storm, workforce career mobility is essential: employees must have the skills, tools, and career development opportunities made available to adapt to changing business needs. This subsequently creates organisational resiliency which is critical for a business to survive, and even thrive, in an evolving economy.  

Where are we now? 
In 2023: 

• only 26% of employees reported their organisation enabled them to learn a new skill. 
  
• just 15% of employees felt encouraged to pursue new roles. 
  
• only 14% were encouraged to build a career development plan. 
  
• intentions to stay were 20% higher if employees were able to make an internal career move. 
  
• 93% of employers were concerned about employee retention. 

Research from the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2023 shows employees with clear career development opportunities are more engaged and committed to their organisation, and significantly less likely to leave. Yet, only a fraction of companies actively invest in comprehensive career development initiatives, such as cross-skilling, upskilling, and succession planning. 

The impact of mobility 

Career mobility is more than promotions and advancement, it is also about the opportunity to acquire new skills, learn from others, and try out new projects. Organisations that offer clear, structured development through defined career pathways and proactive learning opportunities empower employees who see a long-term future with the organisation. These businesses also see increased motivation, job satisfaction, retention, belonging, and loyalty. Comparatively, organisations that limit or remove investment in career mobility see increased turnover, a less motivated workforce, and significant challenges with adapting to changing economic conditions.  

Although some leaders recognise the role of career mobility in employee engagement, many fail to incorporate it effectively into workplace practices. This boils down to a few misconceptions: 

• all employees want promotions, and we cannot afford it 
  
• it’s the responsibility of Learning & Development teams so, if it’s not there, it’s not my responsibility 
  
• career development is a luxury, not a necessity 
  
• upskilling, cross skilling, and professional development activities are too expensive and/or too time consuming. 

What is required? 

In the current market, we see organisations seeking to reduce headcount and remove positions, particularly where the skillsets have been replaced by technology or streamlined processes. The problem with this is that these same organisations are also hiring for newly created positions or projects. Many fail to see the opportunity to leverage the talent they have to fill the roles they need. The final misconception is that what the employee was hired to do reflects their full capability when, in fact, they may not have used their full breadth of skills or tapped into their potential for learning new things. 

Strategic CEOs will recognise they need to: 

Identify the skills the business is going to need.  
What is needed this year? What is needed in the future to achieve the goals you have in your strategic plan? 

Review the talent the business currently has. 
Find out what people know, can, and want to do so you understand where your current workforce really is. This includes engaging with employees themselves to understand their needs and career aspirations. 

Want to know the good news? 

Once you know what you need, and what you currently have, you can act. Through their leaders, organisations can create a culture of mobility without huge investments in expensive professional development programs. There are several win-win activities that leaders and organisations can then consider: 

1. Lateral mobility – give employees the opportunity to learn new skills in a role at the same level as their current role. This also increases sustainable work practices for the organisation. 
2. Role shadowing and social learning assignments – give employees observation activities so they can learn from their colleagues. This enhances cross-functional collaboration and drives a culture of learning. 
3. Project secondments – give employees the chance to use their skills in a different setting or environment through working on a project. This also increases diversity of thought and problem solving in project teams. 
4. Acting appointments – give employees the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities to explore leadership aspirations and learning needs. This also supports succession planning and strategic workforce decisions. 
5. Establish internal mentoring and/or coaching programs – provide structured opportunities to network with and learn from colleagues and executives. This also enhances the leadership skills of those who nominate to mentor and coach. 
6. Sponsor self-directed learning – cost effective online micro-credentialing and access to massive open online courses (MOOCs). 
7. Genuine feedback and development planning – regularly use feedback tools and development planning to support employees to identify their own opportunities for learning based on their experience within the organisation. This data is also valuable for talent mapping and succession planning.  

The takeaway message 

Providing opportunities for growth and progression demonstrates to employees that your organisation values personal and career development. And, they do not need to be costly. The benefits are clear: adopting this approach significantly boosts employee engagement and retention, leading to a stronger, more dedicated workforce. This means reduced hiring costs and increased productivity. Forward-thinking organisations that invest in career mobility now will see real changes over the next 12-24 months, especially as career mobility and development shifts from being an executive leader’s challenge to a tangible opportunity for every employee to engage with and benefit from.

Want to talk about your business and career mobility with Right Management Australia? Contact us using the form on the right. 

About the author 

Lizzie Allen is the general manager of Right Management Australia and, for 20+ years, has supported organisations across Australia in career development, career management, and coaching. She leads a dedicated team that supports workers at all stages of their employment lifecycle. When she’s not at work, you’ll find Lizzie on the ski slopes, in the garden, or sipping a G&T with her two fabulous daughters.