In an exclsuive interaction with APAC and CXO Media, Rubi Khan, Head Culture, Learning, Talent, D&i, Luminous Power Tech, explains how talent markets tighten and skill demands shift rapidly; as organizations are discovering a powerful, often underutilized lever—internal mobility. Moving talent within the company, whether across roles, functions, or geographies, is proving to be a key strategy for boosting retention, accelerating growth, and building a future-ready workforce. Quietly but effectively, internal mobility is reshaping how companies think about hiring, upskilling, and employee experience.
According to LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report, companies that excel at internal mobility retain employees nearly 2x longer than those that don’t. So how is internal mobility impacting talent retention in large enterprises today, especially amid rising voluntary attrition?
Today’s workforce no longer views their roles as static jobs, but as dynamic careers built on continuous growth and enriched experiences. The era of remaining in the same role or function for years is fading; instead, professionals—especially from Gen Y and Gen Z—actively seek diverse opportunities to broaden their skills and exposure.According to Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, learning and development rank among the top three priorities for younger generations in the workplace. Notably:
- 70% of Gen Z report developing skills to advance their careers at least once a week.
- 59% of Millennials say the same, highlighting a strong commitment to ongoing personal and professional growth.
Organizations must reimagine career development—not as a ladder, but as a dynamic web of skills. By prioritizing skilling, upskilling, and enabling skill-based career paths, companies can foster lateral and experiential growth that empowers individuals beyond traditional roles. Internal talent mobility isn’t just a strategy—it’s a catalyst for unlocking potential and accelerating both individual and organizational growth.
What are the key enablers of successful internal mobility at scale—technology, policy, or culture? And where do most companies fall short?
Internal mobility at scale is less about systems and more about mindset. While technology and policies provide the infrastructure, culture is the true enabler.
A culture that embraces fluid talent movement, breaks down silos, and rewards enterprise-first behaviour is essential. Unfortunately, many organizations fall short in building this culture. They focus on functional talent development, creating “pockets of excellence” with little visibility across the enterprise.
Top talent becomes trapped in functions, and supervisory hoarding—where managers resist letting go of high performers—further derails mobility efforts. Talent isn’t our gap- access is. Too many managers are hoarding the gold. This is where traditional, passive talent mobility models fail. The future lies in facilitated and agile talent mobility—where internal movement is intentional, skill-based, and supported by leadership behaviors.
McKinsey’s research shows that frontline and deskless workers are often left out of mobility pathways. Is internal mobility being democratized, or are opportunities still skewed toward top performers and high-visibility employees?
While organizational context does matter, internal mobility should not be confined to top performers. In my experience, effective mobility pathways are democratized and inclusively designed to encourage all employees, regardless of role or visibility, to explore new opportunities, develop diverse experiences, and grow their careers. True mobility is not about exclusivity; it’s about unlocking the potential of talent across the enterprise.
How is internal mobility linked to DEI outcomes? Are underrepresented groups benefiting equally from internal career moves?
Internal mobility, when driven by skill-based frameworks, is a powerful enabler of DEI outcomes. It shifts the focus from pedigree and visibility to capability and potential, creating a more level playing field. By matching individuals to roles based on skills rather than tenure or networks, organizations can surface and unlock talent that may have previously been overlooked—especially among underrepresented groups.
This approach helps build fungible talent across the enterprise and ensures that internal career moves are equitable, inclusive, and accessible to all—not just the most visible or well-connected employees.
73% of orgs (LinkedIn 2024 Talent Report) are pivoting from roles to skills in internal talent decisions. Is the rise of skills-based hiring accelerating internal mobility? Are companies matching internal talent to roles using skill adjacent or just experience?
Skills are fast becoming the currency of modern organizations. They are transferable, contextual, and measurable—making them far more agile than traditional experience-based models. That’s why many companies are shifting from static competency frameworks to dynamic skill taxonomies, positioning skills at the centre of all talent decisions.
This evolution is absolutely accelerating internal mobility. It enables organizations to look beyond roles and resumes and instead match people to opportunities based on adjacent and emerging skills, not just experience.
However, internal mobility must align with business strategy. If the role demands high-stakes capabilities in a new area where upskilling would take significant time, the organization may still choose to buy rather than build. But in most other cases, a skills-first approach unlocks internal potential—and future-proofs both people and the enterprise.
What metrics should CHROs track to measure the effectiveness of internal mobility? Are current ATS/LMS platforms equipped to support this?
Two foundational metrics to measure the effectiveness of internal mobility are Time to Hire and Cost to Hire. When internal mobility is actively encouraged and facilitated, both metrics typically improve, leading to faster fills, reduced hiring costs, and better cultural alignment.
However, beyond efficiency, the most meaningful shift for a CHRO is cultural. A truly effective internal mobility strategy is reflected when managers move from talent hoarding to talent sharing, creating a culture of talent import and export across the enterprise.
While many ATS and LMS platforms offer baseline capabilities, most fall short in intelligently integrating skill data, visibility, and career pathing. To truly support internal mobility, platforms must evolve into skill-powered talent ecosystems—offering real-time visibility of internal talent, adjacent skill mapping, and curated growth journeys.
In short, CHROs should track not just metrics, but mindset shifts—where internal talent becomes the first and best source of capability.
How do you balance business continuity with internal mobility, especially when critical talent moves to create short-term gaps?
Balancing internal mobility with business continuity starts with robust succession planning. For critical roles, organizations proactively build talent depth and identify internal successors to ensure continuity is never compromised.
An enterprise committed to mobility is also constantly nurturing internal pipelines, enabling talent to step into new roles with minimal disruption. However, in rare cases where internal readiness is lacking, particularly for high-impact or specialized role-organizations may strategically maintain external talent connections as part of a proactive contingency plan.
Ultimately, it’s about planning, not reacting late. When internal mobility is anchored in foresight and supported by succession pipelines, the movement of critical talent becomes a strength—not a risk.
