From reducing turnover and increasing productivity to boosting employee engagement and more balanced workloads, good construction leadership recognizes the benefits of internal talent mobility. But it can be easy to get in the habit of not developing the talent that you already have. We encourage companies to use a combination of external and internal hiring methods to bridge the talent gap. Shifting people between jobs can be difficult to accomplish without the right tools and experience, and there is always room for improvement when it comes to internal talent mobility. Here are some steps to give construction employees the chance to rise within the ranks.

1. Review and update career advancement policies.

Some firms are holding employees back with policies that keep them in their position for several years before being promoted. But high-performing candidates usually aren’t going to wait 3+ years for a promotion. Employees should be encouraged to move between functions, jobs, and projects along the way. A growing number of firms are looking for new ways to optimize their workforce by providing employees with access to job postings, mentors, training, and part-time projects.

2. Remove the obstacles.

First, employees need information about career advancement opportunities. Leaders need to invest in the tools and technology to identify and move people around internally. Another potential roadblock is a lack of internal employees to fill roles. That’s why we always encourage you to maintain a proactive hiring strategy even when you already have a roster full of talent. Then, there are some managers that are resistant to internal moves because they don’t want to lose high-performing team members. But the right incentives can encourage more managers to develop the skills of entry-level employees to help advance their careers.

3. Play matchmaker.

Leverage artificial intelligence to recognize company needs and employee needs. Encourage managers to create positions and employees to create profiles and allow AI to find potential internal matches. It’s also an effective tool for matching employees that want to develop specific skills with mentors and career development opportunities.

A recent survey showed that more employees consider it easier to find a new job in a different organization than explore new roles with their current employer. The best way to break this pattern is with a robust internal mobility program. An effective internal application process should be streamlined and differ from the traditional procedure because you already know the candidates.

 

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