1. Add mentorship and coaching programs

Mentorship and dedicated coaching can go a long way in helping individuals navigate and succeed in growing their careers. A mentorship initiative pairs employees with mentors who provide guidance, support, and insights into career development.
Separate from formal mentorship, dedicated coaching can also be particularly useful in helping employees navigate program options, persist in coursework, and move into new roles.
The reality?
Many working adult learners are juggling family responsibilities, work, and school, and may need additional support and guidance.
Some of your employees may have never been to college, or may even be the first in their family to attend. Coaching can help this group gain the knowledge and confidence needed to succeed.
2. Implement skills assessments and talent development plans
To ensure the success of a career mobility program, employers should implement skills assessment and talent development plans. These plans involve:
Assessing employees' current skill sets
Identifying areas for improvement
Crafting tailored development strategies
By conducting thorough skills assessments, organizations can gain insights into employees' strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations, allowing them to align career mobility opportunities with individuals' developmental needs.
For example, talent development programs that foster career mobility can include:
For a deeper dive, check out our ultimate guide on how to structure education and training to foster career mobility.
3. Enable job rotations and cross-functional projects
Job rotation entails temporarily assigning employees to different roles within the organization, enabling them to gain exposure to diverse functions, departments, and responsibilities.
This experience:
Broadens employees' skill sets
Deepens their understanding of the business
And cultivates a well-rounded perspective.
Cross-functional projects, on the other hand, involve collaborating with colleagues from different teams or departments to work on specific initiatives.
These projects:
4. Heavily promote internal job postings
Internal job postings inform employees about available positions within the organization, giving them a chance to explore new opportunities before external candidates are considered.
Consider including information about the courses and pathways that lead to new roles so individuals know what skills they need to qualify.
Here's why: Transparent promotion mechanisms provide a clear path for career progression, motivating individuals to work towards specific goals and perform at their best.
Transparent promotion mechanisms provide a clear path for career progression, motivating individuals to work towards specific goals and perform at their best.
Finally, make sure to instill internal mobility in the culture and celebrate managers who successfully promote their employees — whether within or beyond their teams.
5. Encourage networking and professional development opportunities
Networking events, conferences, and industry-specific gatherings allow employees to connect with professionals from diverse backgrounds, share knowledge, and build valuable relationships.
For example, consider sponsoring a number of employees to attend these conferences. You can make it an engaging giveaway and promote it through your Employee Resource Groups.
These opportunities: