Traditional career trajectories are becoming obsolete.
Today’s professionals no longer seek a niche career in which they progress up a linear ladder. Instead, non-linear career paths are becoming increasingly common, popular and valued by both employers and employees.
In the modern business environment, ideal career progression is now about embracing the diverse backgrounds and skill sets of individuals and applying these to a wider variety of roles to enable creativity, innovation and job satisfaction.
At GoFIGR, we’re passionate about this phenomenon.
We enable this through an ‘internal talent marketplace’, where every employee has a chance to explore and shine in versatile career opportunities that traditionally may not have been offered to them.
Recently, we came across Karen Leong’s story – her journey is the perfect example of this in action.
From her roots in UX design, Karen eventually evolved into a groundbreaking role in Human Resources at Sportsbet with a focus on Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I).
When looked at through a traditional HR lens, this career move makes little sense (even to Karen initially), but her story exemplifies the power of breaking free from linear career norms and leveraging cross-disciplinary skills to make a true impact.We sat down with Karen to hear her story.
Q: Karen, can you share with us how your career journey began?
Karen: Absolutely. My career began in the field of UX (User Experience), primarily focused on the tech and digital space. It was an exciting time in the industry, especially with emerging fields like SEO and mobile technology. Over the years, I honed my skills in digital design and gained a deep understanding of customer research, data analysis and user-centric design principles.
Q: How did your non-traditional transition into HR and DEI come about?
Karen: Interestingly, my journey into HR and DE&I was somewhat unexpected. As a leader in the field of UX, I began exploring different ways to create high-performing teams and was working to understand what conditions individuals need to bring their best selves to work.I started to consider some diversity initiatives, especially concerning women in tech which I felt could drive positive change, however, finding time to drive change alongside my day job proved challenging.That’s when the DE&I role at Sportsbet came up and I thought, “That sounds really cool”, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring.
Q: How did you transition into the DE&I role from a UX background?
Karen: Honestly, I initially hesitated to pursue a formal role in DE&I due to my lack of HR knowledge. In fact, the then General Manager recounts that when we first spoke, I was already talking myself out of the role! I had no idea how HR operated, but I knew we could be more inclusive as a company and I knew the business well.So, while I didn’t receive an offer immediately after some other options that the company pursued fell through, I accepted a six-month secondment.
Q: What were the initial weeks like and how did your background in UX and design inform your approach to DE&I?
Karen: My background in UX gave me a deep appreciation for data-driven decision-making and human-centred design. After stepping into the DE&I role, I immediately recognised the power of using data to uncover insights into employee experiences.By analysing demographic-specific data about belonging and job satisfaction, for example, the LGBTQ+ demographic scored lower in engagement scores than other groups. I could use this data to then identify areas for improvement and strategise ways for our HR department to improve their experience within the workplace.
Q: How did your “seemingly” unrelated UX background benefit the company in quite a different role?
Karen: Trying my hand at a new role, which I continue to work in today, led me to make connections that may not have been apparent to traditionally educated or experienced HR professionals.Plus, in UX as in DE&I, I bring a people-first approach. Without the management team taking a chance on me, and prioritising my will over my skill, they created a space where my unique skills and experiences were valued, and ultimately helped shape HR practices at Sportsbet.
Q: In your opinion, how can organisations benefit from embracing non-traditional career pathways?
Karen: Embracing non-traditional career pathways can lead to greater innovation, diversity, and employee satisfaction. By valuing diverse skill sets and perspectives, as Sportsbet did for me, organisations can foster a culture of creativity and innovation.Not only does it allow them to tap into a broader talent pool and stay ahead, but it also leads to more opportunities for employees to develop their careers and find fulfilment within a company.This case study is an incredible anecdotal example of the power of internal talent mobility when traditional career archetypes are challenged…
But how can you embrace and encourage internal mobility on a consistent basis within your organisation?
Well, with GoFIGR, it’s easy.
As an Internal Talent Marketplace platform, GoFIGR is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform designed to collect and intuitively analyse employee skills data so you can supercharge your Internal Mobility and truly embrace a new model of career progression.
With valuable insights collected from your team, GoFIGR allows you to:
- identify your employees’ current skills
- align them with your business needs
- realise your team’s full potential
- reduce the cost of recruitment by upskilling from within
This way, you can encourage non-traditional career progressions, inspire creative problem-solving and innovation, 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 minimise your reliance on the hiring cycle.
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.
