Promoting internal mobility and allowing employees to evolve within the company, whether geographically or in their role, is a way of meeting their needs and retaining them. Here are some keys to best support them.
Wanting to return to your region of origin, wanting to change careers or even wanting to progress in your role does not mean having to change companies. On condition that it promotes the internal mobility of its employees. There are three types of internal mobility:
- Geographic mobility: The employee changes city, department, region or even country but continues to work in the same position for the same company.
- The functional mutation: The employee wants to change sector, move to a different position. He may therefore want to move from commerce to purchasing, from logistics to quality service, etc.
- Internal promotion: Here, the employee accesses a managerial position with more responsibilities.
Promoting internal mobility: Real interests
Internal mobility has several advantages. Generally speaking, encouraging the development of employees within the company helps convey a good brand image. “ It sends a message to as many people as possible: “with us, you can progress” and then it helps build employee loyalty. », Notes Pierre Bultel, founding consultant of the PBRH firm and author of “Internal mobility, how to succeed? » (Eyrolles editions). Allowing this promotion is a way of avoiding a talent drain. However, these employees already know the company, its functioning, its activity, its past and future challenges. This saves time, increases efficiency and reduces risk because the employee, already acculturated, knows what to expect.
How to recruit internally
In the civil service, the principle is to recruit internally and if no candidate is suitable then look outside. In the private sector, some companies adopt a similar policy. But finding that rare gem within your teams cannot be improvised.
As with any recruitment, you must start by listing the skills necessary to fill this job, the precise criteria sought in the applicant, determining how to verify that these qualities are there, etc.
To support internal candidates and give them a better vision of the position to be filled, Pierre Bultel suggests facilitating meetings with the current holder of the position or the manager of the targeted department to talk about the job. This discovery can also come through an experience “ live my life »: for one week, for example, the candidate joins the service to better understand how it works and see if it meets their aspirations.
Dealing with disappointments
Recruiting internally also means having to say no to certain employees who were not selected for the position they were seeking. A delicate task when the person continues to work within the company. “ Sometimes internal candidates learn that they were unsuccessful when they see someone hired externally. You must be vigilant in handling refusals and say things sincerely. I recommend giving the objective reason so as not to frustrate the employee and demotivate them. But there’s a way to say it », warns Pierre Bultel. So, he recommends explaining what you need to work on to be accepted next time: leading meetings with more leadership, developing your address book, etc.
Tools to facilitate taking up a position following internal mobility
Internal mobility follows the same logic as onboarding. “ When you enter a new company, there is a process to follow to integrate new employees. It’s about presenting the department, the colleagues, the objectives of the position, those of management… It is not because the person was already in the organization that this aspect should be put aside. », Estimates Jonathan Dietsché, co-founder of Teelt. His company specializes in human capital development and HR onboarding solutions and allows the creation of training courses to facilitate operations. The platform organizes reminders, sends the necessary resources to the employee’s email, offers quizzes to test their knowledge of the department, etc. A way to make it easier to take up a position for the duration of your choice.
Adopt the right attitude with your team
If the position to be filled was a promotion and involves managing the team you were part of, it is not always easy to make the transition. Pierre Bultel advises taking up this position after a period of leave to further mark the separation between the two activities and to psychologically start something new. It may also take time to train and obtain additional skills for this position. Jonathan Dietsché suggests planning “ a referent, a mentor to whom the recruit can ask all their questions “.
You also need to rethink your position towards your former colleagues. “ The trap is telling your former team not to worry, that this promotion won’t change anything. It’s complicated because it’s like putting handcuffs on yourself. But it’s not about suddenly changing and no longer having lunch with your team if you did it before. », adds Pierre Bultel. This promotion must be an opportunity to take stock of the situation, to continue what has been launched and to communicate on what we intend to do differently, to share our vision while remaining ourselves.
Well supported, the employee will be grateful to the company that has placed its trust in them.
Dorothée Blancheton
