Internal Mobility
Internal mobility is the movement of employees within an organization. This term can refer to vertical or lateral movement and can include promotions, lateral moves, job swaps, mentorships, demotions, and working across teams.
Internal mobility capitalizes on the valuable knowledge of a company’s existing workforce, eliminating risks and costs often associated with recruiting, hiring, and training new workers.
An internal mobility strategy can effectively replace the traditional “ladder” mindset. With the ladder approach, an employee’s career track moves upward on a single trajectory, which can limit growth. Employers using the ladder approach risk missing the opportunity to promote talent from other areas in the organization.
Some types of internal mobility include:
- Upward mobility: Also called vertical mobility, this involves allowing employees to advance within the same team or department. For instance, a junior software developer may advance to a team lead or senior position.
- Lateral mobility: With lateral mobility, an employee can move at the same level to another department. Lateral mobility allows employees to broaden their skills. For example, a team lead in one department might transfer to another department, serving in the same essential role and at the same salary rate while learning more about the organization and its internal functions.
- Geographical mobility: A global company can offer geographical mobility to allow an employee to work in different locations. This type of mobility serves to enhance an individual’s cultural understanding while also allowing them to adapt their skills to new or emerging markets. An example might be an employee moving from an office in the U.S. to a company’s Canadian office.
Internal Mobility Example
Sarah works for TechStartupXYZ as a junior software developer. During her time with the company, she has consistently demonstrated her coding expertise while taking on new responsibilities and showing an interest in project management.
The management at TechStartupXYZ has monitored Sarah’s potential and given her the opportunity to lead small projects and develop her leadership skills. As she continues to excel, Sarah is promoted to senior software developer, and later, to team lead. Her ability to effectively manage projects, along with her technical expertise, make her an ideal candidate for a role in management.
Related Terms
Succession Planning
identifies and develops existing employees who can potentially fill leadership positions in the future. Through internal mobility, this practice helps ensure continuity and a smooth transition.
Job Rotation
is a strategy in which employees temporarily move between different departments and/or roles. This strategy facilitates internal mobility by enhancing an employee’s skills and giving them a broader knowledge of the organization.
Lateral Move
is a term referring to a role change within an organization. Typically, a lateral move does not involve a change in rank or salary. However, lateral moves are a form of internal mobility because they can offer new experiences and challenges while helping employees diversify their skill sets.
Upward Mobility
is the advancement of an employee to a higher position within a company. This advancement is usually accompanied by a higher salary, more responsibilities, and greater authority. In career development, upward mobility is a key aspect of internal mobility.
Career Pathing
maps out a sequence of job positions through which an individual may progress in an organization. With career pathing, employees can visualize their career trajectory and have clarity on which steps they need to take to achieve career goals.