When it comes to employee development, most companies focus on vertical career growth, where individuals move up the corporate ladder. However, lateral career moves are often overlooked, and employees who are looking for growth opportunities are left feeling discouraged and unfulfilled. As HR professionals, it’s crucial to recognise and embrace the importance of lateral career moves.
- Lateral career moves lead to employee engagement:
Most employees want to feel challenged and engaged in their work. If they remain stagnant in their position, they would likely lose morale and become disengaged. Facilitating lateral career moves provides unique opportunities for individuals to gain new experiences and learn different skills. This, in turn, leads to increased employee engagement and motivation.
- Lateral career moves lead to retention:
Providing opportunities for lateral career moves shows employees that the company values their personal and professional growth. It also gives them a reason to stay with the company, even if they’re not moving up the ladder at the moment. By retaining employees, the company saves time and money on recruitment and training costs. It’s a win-win for everyone.
- Lateral career moves improve employee skill sets:
Lateral career moves are an effective way to expose employees to different roles and departments. This allows them to develop new skills and expand their knowledge beyond their original job description. When employees learn new skills, it brings added value to the company. They can bring their newfound knowledge and expertise to their current role, boosting their productivity and contribution.
- How to facilitate lateral career moves:
A successful lateral career move requires a strategic plan. Start by creating a job rotation programme that reduces the risk of high turnover rates. This programme should allow employees to gain experience in different roles within the company’s structure. It should also provide regular feedback to ensure that the employee is making progress and meeting expectations.
Another approach is to facilitate job shadowing, where an employee spends a day with someone in a different role to gain insight and exposure. Cross-training is also effective. It entails creating cross-functional teams that work together to solve specific problems. This approach encourages collaboration, enabling employees to develop multiple skills from other departments.
Conclusion:
Your organisation should consider facilitating lateral career moves to help your employees grow, remain engaged, and retain employees. Creating a culture that supports career development and growth for all employees is beneficial for both the company and individual employees. A structured lateral career path not only develops new skills and provides new experiences, but it also helps the company identify potential future leaders. As HR professionals, it is your responsibility to develop a strategy that will benefit your employees, your company, and your bottom line.
Get in touch with INTOO today to see how we can support you with our unique Career Development services.