It’s an exciting and dynamic time in talent right now for many reasons, not the least of which is how internal mobility is taking on a larger focus for many companies. In fact over half of CXR members told us in a recent survey that they have formal, defined internal mobility processes in place. If you don’t have a robust internal mobility program in place, you’re not just falling behind — your employees are likely to seek that in another company. Careers are moving beyond traditional linear models. People are looking to expand their experiences and internal mobility – proactive internal mobility – gives people the opportunities they are seeking while also tying them more closely to your company.
Are recruiters empowered to source internal candidates?
Just over half of our respondents say yes but that means an awful lot of companies are not actively including internal candidates in their sourcing activities. There are definitely barriers to doing this effectively. It’s no secret that managers tend to hoard their talent and company culture can be another issue that makes internal sourcing difficult. In a recent discussion with CXR members on the topic, those companies that are proactively working on internal mobility say it’s important to get buy-in across the organization to really make an internal mobility program work. After that, there isn’t too much similarity in how internal mobilty programs are run. From fairly sophisticated processes and databases to very informal conversations, internal mobility programs run the gamut.
Most of our companies allow candidates to apply for internal positions after they have been in their current position for 12 months. We’ve seen this period shorten over the years and think it’s a move in the right direction. Today’s candidates are looking to have new opportunities readily available to them and showing them that you trust and value their contributions after a year (or less in some cases) is an excellent way to build employee loyalty.
Automating internal mobility: Schneider Electric’s open talent market
Business leaders at Schneider Electric recognized that in some cases it was easier for their valued talent to find new opportunities and grow their career outside of Schneider Electric. In a top-driven initiative to change that and creatively tackle other problems inherent in today’s tight labor market, the talent team came up with the Open Talent Market. Schneider Electric’s Open Talent Market uses artificial intelligence (AI) to meet the supply and demand for internal talent on a global scale.
The Open Talent Market uses AI to learn how to match an employee’s skill set and career goals with open opportunities. Leaders are more easily able to find unique talent that they wouldn’t have previously known even existed in the organization. Employees are made aware of a vast range of opportunities to grow their career when they are ready. From full-time positions to project-level participation, the market gives employers and managers a wealth of opportunities. Mentorship is also built into the system for additional career development. An added bonus? The AI aspect has freed up time for sourcers to focus on external talent.
[Talk about internal mobility and more in the Talent Management eXchange]
There’s lots of interest in building internal mobility programs, and more importantly, in providing a positive candidate experience for those internal candidates. Hearing how companies like Schneider Electric are changing the game is exciting not just for those of us in talent but for our employees and candidates as well. The job marketplace of the future is here and it’s exciting to see how companies are creatively changing traditional approaches to allow individuals to improve, gain new experiences and, in turn, provide more benefit to their employer.
