At first glance, internal mobility seems like an obvious win, a practical tool to retain great people, reduce costs, and foster loyalty. Yet, across boardrooms and break rooms, it remains more ambition than action. Too often, talent stagnates, progression stalls, and organisations look outward while overlooking their richest asset: the people already within their walls.
To truly unlock internal mobility is to rewire how we value, nurture, and move talent. It’s not just an HR programme — it’s a lever for resilience, engagement, and long-term growth.
The Silent Cost of Looking Elsewhere
In the race for talent, external recruitment often steals the spotlight. There’s a certain glamour to onboarding someone new, a fresh CV, a new perspective. But let’s talk about the price tag.
Hiring externally isn’t just expensive — it’s inefficient. From agency fees to job board listings, onboarding time to early attrition, the costs spiral. Studies show upskilling internal talent costs just one-sixth of hiring from outside.
Worse still, new hires can misalign with company culture or underperform. Compare that with internal candidates, people already steeped in your systems, values, and networks. According to LinkedIn, employees who move internally are 40% more likely to stay for at least three years.
Failing to promote from within doesn’t just waste budget — it undermines morale and organisational memory.
What’s Getting in the Way?
If the case for internal mobility is so strong, why do so many businesses fall short? The reasons are rarely technical. They’re cultural, systemic, and deeply rooted in outdated definitions of success.
1. The Talent Hoarding Trap
Some managers grip tightly to top performers, fearing disruption. But this narrow view can backfire, leading to disengagement and missed leadership potential.
2. Opaque Opportunity
Many internal roles are either poorly advertised or quietly circulated through cliques. This creates exclusion, damages trust, and stifles aspiration.
3. Confidence & Capability Gaps
Without structured learning and support, even the most motivated employees can hesitate to step forward. Confidence falters in the absence of clear pathways.
4. Siloed Structures
Rigid hierarchies and fragmented departments create invisible walls. Employees may want to pivot, but navigating internal systems becomes a maze.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
Internal mobility is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ — it’s a strategic necessity.
- Cost Efficiency: Upskilling is dramatically cheaper than hiring externally.
- Retention Booster: Clear growth paths improve engagement and loyalty.
- Cultural Strength: Internal moves carry institutional knowledge across teams.
- Agility: Talent that moves is talent that adapts — fuelling innovation and resilience.
The numbers speak volumes: firms with high internal mobility see up to 79% more leadership promotions. When people feel their career can grow where they are, they stop looking elsewhere.
From Idea to Practice: How to Make Mobility Work
Creating a culture of movement takes more than an intranet job board. It demands courage, systems, and mindset shifts.
1. Rethink Managerial Metrics
Let’s reward leaders not only for delivery but for talent progression. A manager’s legacy should be measured in careers built, not just targets met.
2. Shine a Light on Opportunity
Visibility matters. Build transparent systems for internal hiring. Make job postings open. Empower employees to chart their course.
3. Invest in Skills, Not Just Tools
Mobility sits on a foundation of learning. Equip people with stretch projects, mentorships, and upskilling aligned to future needs.
4. Dismantle the Siloes
Encourage secondments and cross-functional projects. Career paths shouldn’t look like ladders they should resemble well-signposted networks.
5. Celebrate the Journey
Stories inspire action. Share success stories of internal movers. Normalise sideways steps and winding paths. Growth is rarely linear, and that’s a good thing.
What Leading Organisations Are Doing Differently
Across industries, some pioneers are already embracing internal mobility as a core pillar.
At a major pharmaceutical company, nearly a third of all roles are filled from within. The secret? A culture of psychological safety — where employees feel safe to raise their hands, and managers see movement as shared success.
Meanwhile, a global FMCG leader has redefined careers as “squiggly” — intentionally non-linear. Their system maps personal ambitions against evolving business needs, supported by AI-driven career tools.
The results? Empowered employees. Stronger teams. And a pipeline of future leaders has grown from within.
The Future is Built from Within
In a tightening talent market, internal mobility is more than an HR solution — it’s a business growth strategy. It’s how we build cultures of opportunity, where talent flows, evolves, and contributes at its fullest.
Let’s move beyond outdated notions of career ladders leading out the door. Instead, imagine workplaces where upward, lateral, and cross-sector moves are expected — even celebrated.
Because when your people believe their future lies with you, they’ll stay, grow, and give their best. Not just for the next quarter, but for the next decade.
Stay Connected: Let’s Rethink Talent Together
If these ideas resonate, I invite you to stay in touch. I regularly share reflections and practical tools across HR, leadership, and culture-building. Join me on LinkedIn for insights into creating workplaces where people — and performance — thrive.
Let’s keep building. Let’s keep evolving. Together.
