Role of Mobility in Workforce Planning

As a CFO in the recruitment industry, I pay close attention to the labour market signals that shape wage dynamics and productivity. One of the most striking trends right now in the world of work is something often referred to as "job hugging", the growing reluctance among professionals to change roles.   Our own Hays data, gathered from 46,000 professionals worldwide, highlights this clearly: 68% of surveyed professionals have stayed in their current role for at least a year and only a quarter feel optimistic about future economic conditions. Uncertainty is pushing people to prioritise stability above mobility, with many feeling that the rewards on offer are no longer strong enough to motivate a move.   While the instinct to remain in a familiar role is understandable, the wider macroeconomic implications are significant. When fewer people move jobs, the competitive pressure that drives salary growth weakens, and we see a cooling effect on wage growth.   Productivity also suffers. When people stay in roles that no longer stretch or develop them, skills stagnate, innovation slows and economies lose dynamism. Talent that isn’t flowing to where it can create the most value ultimately constrains growth.   Staying put may feel safe, but it can limit skill development, salary progression and access to new opportunities. In uncertain periods, both organisations and professionals need to think strategically about mobility, not in terms of churn for its own sake, but in terms of upskilling, internal progression and making thoughtful, career enhancing moves.   Mobility for me is an economic necessity. It fuels wage growth, productivity and long term competitiveness. In an environment defined by change, taking proactive steps to move, develop or explore new pathways can be genuinely strategic.   Professionals should feel empowered to make bold, forward looking moves, and organisations should actively enable and encourage mobility, internally and externally, to keep the labour market dynamic and healthy.   #JobHugging #TalentRetention #WorkforceTrends

As a manager, it’s human nature to want to hang on to the superstars in your group, department, or division. But ultimately, that’s detrimental to the organization and to the individuals involved. Multiple studies on talent mobility show that actively moving employees into different roles is one of the most underutilized, yet most effective, development and cultural enhancement techniques in companies today. In fact, research has shown that high-performance organizations are twice as likely to emphasize talent mobility versus low-performance companies. Building a culture of mobility is a trait of very healthy organizations, and the benefits are clear. Cross-functional collaboration increases, departmental cooperation is enhanced, innovation improves, and companies begin working more as one cohesive team instead of separate fiefdoms.

I met with a CHRO last week who had just laid off 200 people. Then they proceeded to post 75 new openings. When I asked why they didn't redeploy internally, she stared at me blankly. 😳 This crazy disconnect happens more often than you'd think. As organizations face unprecedented workforce shifts in 2025, internal mobility is becoming an existential necessity. The companies that thrive through these transitions aren't treating layoffs and hiring as separate processes. They're viewing their workforce as a dynamic portfolio of skills that can be realigned as needs evolve. Before any role was is eliminated, map skill adjacencies to identify where impacted employees could move internally. Then create rapid upskilling paths to bridge capability gaps. When employees see colleagues redeployed rather than discarded, it fundamentally changes how they view their relationship with the organization. #InternalMobility #WorkforceTransformation #TalentRedeployment #EmployerBrand

As we continue to navigate a world of work that is always changing, organizations can’t always rely on external hiring to keep pace and acquire the skills they need. Companies need to build pathways for their employees to flex into new skills and roles, giving them a reason to stay and a way to grow. LinkedIn data reveals that companies prioritizing internal mobility retain employees for an average of 5.4 years, compared to just 2.9 years for those that don't. And even thought companies know internal mobility is critical, they are facing challenges in delivering. Cultural barriers often make internal moves taboo, ownership and accountability within HR is murky, and most companies don’t have a clear picture of their employee skill set and competencies. Sound familiar?   Here are two perspectives that I believe can support us as talent leaders on this journey:   TAKE A SYSTEMIC APPROACH: As mentioned above, cultural barriers can make internal moves difficult. To unlock these we need to take a systemic approach. For example: If a key blocker for internal mobility is the behaviour of managers who are keeping top talent in their teams, it might be necessary to look at relevant reward systems as well as integrating internal mobility as an expectation into the role expectations of managers (e.g. rewarding managers for exporting talent into other parts of the business). To take a systemic approach I am using a model that looks at the interplay of structures, dynamics and culture developed by Rosemary Napper (TAWorks) which has become my frame of reference with which I view and approach organisational change. See my article here for further reference: https://lnkd.in/e442ttSj TAKE A SKILLS-FIRST TALENT APPROACH: Using a skills-first talent approach, companies can drive internal mobility by:  - Understanding employee skill sets and giving employees access to skill insights to guide their own career development.    - Taking a skills-first approach to hiring through sourcing qualified internal candidates who have the skills, values, and preferences they're hiring for.  - Investing in outcome-led learning, where employees are prepared for and knowledgeable about mobility opportunities.  - Internal mobility helps companies match employee skills and growth with business needs and opportunities. I am looking forward to discussing this topic with Francesca Felet, Director Insights, LinkedIn,Severine Fiegler, Global VP HR Talent Network, Infineon and Joel Nielsen, Chief Regional Talent Management Team, UNHCR at #TalentconnectDACH   #TalentconnectDACH #InternalMobility #SkillsFirstTalentApproach #SystemsLens

Internal mobility has been rising as a retention and engagement strategy, and according to Greg Lewis with LinkedIn, it remains a challenge for individual contributors. I believe this is because while mobility brings benefits like engagement and retention, it also poses risks around fairness, transparency, skills gaps, and operational disruption. Relying solely on additional 'gig' work and projects without proper support may lead to burnout, disengagement, or a sense of quiet promotion if employees feel they are taking on more without recognition. Providing visibility and support for internal openings, rotations, special projects, and mentoring is crucial. However, to truly enable a vibrant internal mobility ecosystem that grows and retains employees, companies must help employees understand the skills needed for current and aspired roles while clearly communicating mobility opportunities, requirements, and expectations. With thoughtful policies, open communication, training, and onboarding support, companies can maximize the advantages of internal mobility while minimizing risks and disruptions. By taking an interconnected, systemic approach, the individual components can combine to produce lasting overall results. The key is empowering employees by creating an environment where they feel supported in pursuing development opportunities. #talentmanagement #talentdevelopment #workforcemanagement #futureofwork #workforceplanning

One of the biggest misconceptions about recruitment challenges is that they can be solved by speeding up the hiring process. In most organizations, the real issues begin before the first candidate is sourced: • Roles without clear success outcomes • Managers making decisions based on preference rather than criteria • Employees looking externally because internal mobility isn't visible • Workforce plans that don’t adjust as business needs shift When these parts of the workforce system aren’t aligned, recruitment becomes reactive and exhausting. The organizations preparing for 2026 are focusing upstream: ✅ Clear, consistent role frameworks ✅ Visible internal mobility pathways that keep talent growing internally ✅ Managers equipped to evaluate and develop people effectively ✅ Workforce planning connected directly to business priorities When those pieces are in place, recruitment becomes faster, more consistent, and more strategic, because it’s supported by a system designed for agility and growth. Our latest article breaks this down, along with a real example from the commercial real estate finance sector that saw significant time-to-hire and cost improvements: 👉 The Workforce System Effect: Why Solving Recruitment Starts Before Recruiting If recruitment feels reactive in your organization, the first step is understanding where the system is breaking down. I’m happy to walk through how we assess this with clients, just reach out. #HRStrategy #TalentManagement #InternalMobility #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureReady #PeopleStrategy

Senior Executive discusses, "A New Era for Recruiting" 📉 As companies lean into AI, some are cutting roles amid restructuring. HR Think Tank Members caution that reactive moves can come with long-term costs. 💡 When growth slows, companies are reactive and cut. Visionary companies take a proactive approach via strategic workforce planning. That means: 🔹 Upskilling employees for emerging roles 🔹 Building internal mobility pathways 🔹 Avoiding mass layoffs that erode trust and reputation Workforce adaptability is non-negotiable in an AI-driven age. 🤖 AI is poised to automate lower-value, repetitive tasks, freeing human recruiters to add value where machines fall short. Proactive organizations embed strategic workforce planning, internal mobility and talent development into their DNA ensuring they emerge stronger, more adaptive and more human-centric. The future isn’t human versus machine. It’s human plus machine. Companies that understand this balance will be the ones that thrive. #AI #TalentAcquisition #WorkforceStrategy #FutureOfWork 👉 Read Here: https://lnkd.in/ebFjXGY3