Dear HR: It’s not your fault, but it is your problem.
The most crucial asset in any business is its people. Driving everything from creativity and innovation to output and decision-making, the quality of its staff says a lot about a company.
This is why Human Resources (HR) is such an invaluable function. Tasked with nurturing and empowering individuals to fuel an organization’s growth, HR has never been more vital.
Yet, despite HR's best intentions and efforts, there is one issue that is becoming increasingly common among employees in all industries:
A lack of perceived career growth opportunities!
This may not be your fault…
but solving it is likely your problem. During HR and employee engagement surveys, many organizations are shocked to find that their employees don’t see a clear path to progress their careers internally.
They report feeling stagnant, demotivated, or will even depart the role due to this perceived lack of career advancement.
Even though there is, in fact, an abundance of opportunities for these employees to progress internally, the problem comes down to one crucial factor: visibility.
To feel as though they have an opportunity to progress internally, employees need a clear and tangible vision of their potential future within the company, or else, they will assume that none exists. And then we all know what happens.
To solve this problem and avoid relying on the proactivity of your employees to seek out opportunities themselves, this article will explore the roots of this problem and explain how the implementation of an internal talent marketplace is a viable solution.
Through this lens, we'll help you engage your workforce for the betterment of their career, your career and the business as a whole.But first, there’s one thing you need to know…It’s not your fault.
The breadth and depth of a HR manager’s or a HR department’s responsibilities have never been so large. Whether it’s:
- mediating disputes,
- hiring, onboarding and training
- implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, or
- dealing with awards and other organizational policies,
HR professionals are expected to wear many different hats, all at the same time.
Despite your tireless efforts to stay abreast of every facet of your team’s performance and well-being, the sheer volume of tasks on your plate can quickly become overwhelming. Amidst this seemingly never-ending juggling act, certain matters may inevitably slip through the cracks.
It’s at this moment that many HR managers come to realize that although their teams are supported above and beyond in their current roles, they may not be fully aware of the many opportunities available for them to progress within the company.
This is especially the case considering career progressions no longer take the traditionally linear route that they used to, and often involve job changes that neither the employee nor the hiring manager may expect.
This means your next DE&I hire may be working in the User Experience (UX) side of your business as was the exact case for SportsBet.
The problem with this disconnect between the opportunities available in your organization and how your employees perceive them is costly, often leading to disengagement and on the extreme level - resignation.In this scenario, it’s important to know that it’s not your fault.
However, as an HR manager, IT IS your problem
So what can you do?
Fortunately, there is a very easy solution to this dilemma.
The HR Solution
In essence, the problem at hand is one of efficiency.With so many mounting responsibilities, it’s near impossible to stay on top of everything.The solution to this efficiency dilemma, just as in any area of business, lies in embracing tech tools that can streamline HR processes and improve outcomes.
By embracing these tools, HR managers can transform themselves into forward-thinking HR professionals of the future…
and by systematizing and templating common processes, HR teams can reduce the demand for their time and resources, allowing employees to discover internal opportunities independently, without the need for constant hands-on guidance.
We call this an internal talent marketplace.
With an internal marketplace, employees access a centralized platform to explore various career paths, developmental opportunities, and open positions within the organization.
It empowers employees to take ownership of their career progression with ease while fostering a sense of fulfilment and bolstering retention rates.It also helps HR managers streamline their responsibilities and direct their attention to their most high-touch responsibilities, fostering a culture of growth, exploration, inclusion and advancement within the organization.
So, how do you adopt an internal talent marketplace within your organization?
Well, with GoFIGR, it’s easy.Here’s how it works.
An Internal Talent Marketplace platform, GoFIGR is a Software as a Service (SaaS) designed to collect and intuitively analyze employee skills data so you can supercharge your Internal Mobility and truly embrace a streamlined model of internal career progression.
With valuable insights collected from your team, GoFIGR allows you to:
- identify your employees’ current skills
- align them with your business needs
- realize your team’s full potential
- reduce the cost of recruitment by upskilling from within
This way, you can open your employee’s eyes to potential career progressions and FIGR (Find, Inspire, Grow and Retain) talent with data-driven strategies.
Your future team is already working for you.
Don’t let that talent go to waste – allow them to grow their career AND drive your business into its tomorrow in ways you never thought was possible.It’s the ultimate way to build internal mobility, foster a progressive workplace culture and attract top talent to minimize your reliance on the hiring cycle. It’s a great way to save crucial hours in your day as well.
Contact GoFIGR today to discover how we can help you foster a future-focused workforce using our internal talent marketplace platform.
Helena Turpin spent 20 years in talent and HR innovation where she solved people-related problems using data and technology. She left corporate life to create GoFIGR where she helps mid-sized organizations to develop and retain their people by connecting employee skills and aspirations to internal opportunities like projects, mentorship and learning.
