Horizontal Mobility in Organizations

To facilitate horizontal mobility in a company, it is crucial to put in place well-thought-out and adapted strategies. Here are some ways to achieve this:

First, you must promote a culture of internal mobility. This involves valuing continuous learning. Encourage your employees to develop new skills, even if they are not directly related to their current position. Offer regular training and personal development workshops.

Next, develop individual career plans. Each employee must have a clear vision of their possibilities for horizontal evolution. Organize mentoring sessions where experienced colleagues can guide those who wish to explore new roles. This creates an environment of support and knowledge sharing.

Communication is also essential. Be transparent about the benefits and expectations related to horizontal mobility. Explain how this can enrich employees' skills and contribute to their professional fulfillment. Use concrete examples of internal successes to illustrate your points.

Propose appropriate training and ongoing support during transitions. Changing positions, even horizontally, can be unsettling. Make sure employees have the resources needed to succeed in their new role. This may include specific training, accompanied transition periods, or regular check-ins with a manager.

Finally, integrate horizontal mobility into your recognition and reward policies. It is important that the efforts of employees who choose this path are recognized and valued. This can be translated into bonuses, salary increases, or simply public recognition at team meetings.

Horizontal mobility has a significant impact on the organization. It facilitates knowledge sharing and interdisciplinarity, which is essential for a company that wants to remain innovative. When an employee changes positions without promotion, they bring unique skills and perspectives. This can transform team dynamics and encourage unprecedented collaborations.

By improving inter-functional collaboration, horizontal mobility breaks organizational silos. Employees who move from one department to another better understand the challenges and objectives of different teams. This can lead to more creative solutions and better team cohesion within the company.

Furthermore, horizontal mobility contributes to employee retention. Employees who have the opportunity to diversify their skills and take on new challenges are less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. This reduces turnover and the costs associated with recruiting and onboarding new employees.

For horizontal mobility to work, clear policies and skills management tools are essential. A skills mapping can help identify recruitment needs and mobility opportunities. Managers must be involved and well-informed of their teams' qualifications and performance to support this approach.

Finally, it is important to provide appropriate training and support for employees who change positions. This ensures that they can adapt quickly and succeed in their new roles. Regular check-ins between the manager, HR and the employee can also help ensure that the transition goes smoothly and that objectives are met.

Accompanying an employee through their transition to a new position is essential to ensure successful horizontal mobility. Even if they remain in the same company, they must be guided as during a new integration, through a crossboarding process. This process allows the employee to become familiar with the subculture of their new team, as well as understand the new responsibilities linked to their position.

A smooth transition for the employee

Before the position change, it is important to ensure that the employee leaves their current position in good conditions, with specific actions:

• Organize a final meeting with their manager and management to discuss remaining points.
• Plan an informal social moment (lunch, afterwork) with their current team to celebrate their departure.
• Manage administrative and financial aspects, such as contract updates and salary negotiations.
• Facilitate a smooth handover with their replacement, if necessary.

For their new position, the support must focus on two essential aspects: integration and training. It is crucial to establish a framework that puts the employee at ease while setting clear objectives for their progress:

• Organize a series of HR meetings to monitor the employee's state of mind.
• Build a training program adapted to their new responsibilities.
• Plan an integration moment with their new team, such as a welcome reception.
• Appoint a "buddy" to accompany them and facilitate their professional transition.
• Set clear objectives for the 3 to 6 months following their horizontal mobility.

Use a crossboarding tool for optimal horizontal mobility

Wobee offers a comprehensive solution to support employee horizontal mobility through an automated crossboarding process.

Here are some key features of the tool:

• Creating crossboarding processes in less than 30 seconds.
• Centralization of administrative tasks (documents, contracts, etc.).
• Monitoring employee training and objectives.
• Automation of reminders and HR follow-ups.
• Integration of communication with the new team.

Benefits for the company:

• Reduction of administrative errors and oversights.
• Time savings for HR and managers.
• Improved employee experience.
• Strengthening employee engagement and talent retention.

Vertical mobility is a type of professional mobility that involves hierarchical progression, often accompanied by an increase in salary and responsibilities. We then speak of promotion. You move from a junior position to a senior position, and then perhaps to a management position. This is a classic path that values experience and skills acquired over time.

On the other hand, horizontal mobility allows you to expand your scope of action without hierarchical progression. Imagine a software developer becoming a project manager. Or a marketer turning to data analysis. You change positions, but remain at the same hierarchical level. The goal? Acquire new skills, diversify your experience and sometimes find a better fit with your talents and interests.

So, why choose one over the other? Vertical mobility is often seen as a recognition of your efforts and skills. It can also be motivating, as it is generally associated with a salary increase and change of status. However, it can also lead to more stress and responsibilities.

Horizontal mobility, on the other hand, offers flexibility and variety that can be very enriching. It allows you to develop broader expertise and remain agile in a constantly evolving job market. It is also an excellent way to prevent burnout by changing your environment and challenges.