The Future Of Career Mobility

4 insights from HR experts

In today's fast-changing job market, career mobility isn't just a trend—it's a priority for HR professionals aiming to retain and empower top talent. 

We spoke with HR leaders who shared their game-changing strategies for fostering career growth and adaptability within their organizations. 

From aligning development opportunities with employees' unique career goals to cultivating a culture of lifelong learning, these four expert insights provide a roadmap to future-proofing career paths and enhancing employee satisfaction. 

Dive in to discover how these approaches are reshaping the future of career mobility.
 

• Prioritize Skill Versatility
• Emphasize Upskilling and Reskilling
• Encourage Lateral Career Moves
• Adopt a Culture of Lifelong Learning

Prioritize Skill Versatility

The growing importance of skill versatility over linear progression. Modern careers are less about climbing a single vertical path and more about acquiring a diverse skill set that can be applied across various roles. This significant shift in perspective has reshaped our overall approach to employee development; we now prioritize cross-functional skill-building and rotational opportunities that allow our team members to gain experience in multiple business areas. 

To implement this approach, we have developed a unique program encouraging our team members to explore short-term projects in departments outside their primary roles. This strategy allows them to build new skills, understand different facets of our business, and apply fresh perspectives to their primary responsibilities. Fostering a culture of skill expansion helps our team to adapt efficiently to future roles, enhancing their personal career mobility and the resilience of our organization.
 

Fred Winchar, Founder, Certified HR professional, Max Cash

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Emphasize Upskilling and Reskilling

One particular insight that has shaped my strategies is the increasing demand for upskilling and reskilling in the workforce. For instance, many jobs are becoming obsolete, and new skills are needed to stay relevant with the rise of technology and automation. This has led me to prioritize creating development opportunities for employees to continuously learn and acquire new skills.

This insight has changed my approach to employee development by placing a greater emphasis on creating personalized learning plans and offering a variety of training programs. I have also implemented mentorship programs and cross-functional projects to encourage continuous learning and growth within our organization. This way, we prepare employees for future career opportunities and foster a culture of learning and innovation within our company.
 

Daniel Cook, HR, Mullen and Mullen

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Encourage Lateral Career Moves

I have noticed something interesting at work: careers aren't going up like before; they are moving all over. Think of a chessboard: the pieces can move anywhere, not just forward.

What does this mean for us? The old "LADDER" is gone. Our best people are growing by moving across departments. They are learning new skills I didn't think they needed. In my company, one marketing manager moved to data analytics; she took her storytelling skills with her. Now, she is very valuable. She can turn data into stories everyone understands.

How are we adapting? This insight changed how we develop our people. We are no longer just focused on the next step up. Now we are: 
 

• Creating "SKILL SAFARIS." Employees explore different departments for 3 months.
• Encouraging sideways moves, not just upward ones.
• Building learning paths that cross many disciplines.

The biggest lesson is this: Growth is not always about climbing higher. Sometimes it is about expanding your territory. When we embraced this idea, our retention numbers improved. More importantly, our people started bringing fresh perspectives to old problems.
 

Muqaddas Virk, Recruitment Specialist | Business Manager, Sustainability Jobs

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Adopt a Culture of Lifelong Learning

As an HR leader, one insight about career mobility that has shaped my strategies and changed my approach to employee development is the importance of investing in lifelong personal development. You see, with the adoption of highly advanced technologies in today's workplace, the undeniable fact is that today's workplace is not only rapidly changing but also becoming increasingly tasking for both individuals/employees and businesses to maintain the kind of relevance required to stay attractive and competitive across industries. This is just one of the reasons it is important to become invested in lifelong learning.

The fact is, becoming intentional and committed to lifelong learning is the only way to prevent skill gaps and ensure that an employee's skill set does not become obsolete as a result of today's fast-paced and evolving workplace. This is why, as an HR leader, my strategy has been to adopt a culture of continuous learning and to design personalized development plans for my employees. This helps guarantee that employees are more equipped to easily adapt to changing work environments and prepared to meet the unique challenges that come along with it, ensuring that they are ready and prepared for whatever changes may come in the future. 

The truth is, if AI advancements and their adoption in the workplace have taught me anything, it is that change in the workplace is something everyone can always count on. The best way to guarantee employees' job satisfaction is to help them stay prepared ahead of this change.
 

Umeadi Grace chisom, Human Resources (HR) Leader, Express Dentist

Brett Farmiloe is the CHRO & CEO of Featured.