- Nearly a third of UK business leaders are focused on giving employees the opportunity to move into different roles
- 64% of HR professionals say internal recruiting is now a top priority and 58% are focused on reskilling initiatives
- Top functions people are moving into include Marketing and Finance
UK companies are increasingly looking inwards to find talent for new roles since COVID-19, according to new data from LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network. Internal hiring was up 20% between April and August 2020, compared to the same period last year. This trend is being echoed in countries around the world with Germany (25%), Singapore (21%) and Mexico (20%) all hiring internally at a higher rate than the global average (19.6%).
With many companies unable to hire new talent from outside their business at the same pace as before COVID-19 due to continued uncertainty, LinkedIn explored how companies are managing their evolving workforce needs and bridging skills gaps by analysing internal mobility trends. LinkedIn analysed the share of employees changing their job title to a dissimilar role within the same organisation to uncover the rate at which companies are filling open roles with existing employees.
LinkedIn’s data highlights the roles, functions and industries people are moving into:
- Top roles in the UK for internal mobility - 1. Account Director, 2. Program Manager, 3. Product Manager
- Top functions in the UK for internal mobility - 1. Product Management, 2. Finance, 3. Marketing
- Top industries in the UK for internal mobility - 1. Hardware & Networking, 2. Energy, 3. Finance
UK business leaders encouraging internal mobility
C-level research from LinkedIn finds that nearly a third (31%) of UK business leaders are focused on giving employees the opportunity to move into different roles internally in the next six months, and 32% say that reskilling and upskilling employees is a top priority for 2021. Two-fifths believe that it is the responsibility of business to upskill employees and maintain their employability, versus the responsibility of employees themselves (32%) or government (5%). As a result, 34% of leaders want to create a culture of learning to help employees develop the skills needed for the future, and 31% are focused on closing the skills gap within their organisations.
Skills development top priority for HR
Additional research from LinkedIn finds that 67% of talent professionals in the UK say that COVID-19 has forced them to change their hiring practices, and 64% say internal recruiting is now a top priority. To support employees as they transition into different roles, 58% of HR leaders are focused on helping employees develop new skills, and 60% will be developing internal mobility programs.
Janine Chamberlin, Senior Director at LinkedIn, said: “The continued uncertainty around COVID-19 has meant that many companies are looking to tap existing employees for new opportunities within their organisations. This presents excellent internal mobility and professional development opportunities for individuals who want to learn new skills, gain a different experience and progress within their company. Encouraging internal mobility not only boosts retention and improves employee engagement, but it can also help companies evolve their businesses from within and bridge any existing skills gaps. To ensure employees are set-up for success and have the skills to support career transitions, reskilling and upskilling initiatives are vital and HR professionals will play a pivotal role in facilitating this.”
Further information about the report can be found here.
