Want Workers to Reskill? Show Them Who They Can Become | HBS Working Knowledge

Internal mobility, or the movement of employees across roles and opportunities within the same organization, is a critical component of talent management. However, several factors can limit internal mobility, such as manager talent hoarding, restrictive policies, and other reasons I’ve shared previously in my one-pager on the topic. Another factor than can turn into a barrier and which is highlighted in this new article and the underlying research it references is occupational identity: the degree to which workers see their current role as part of who they are, not just what they do. For some, especially when a role, field, or career path feels unfamiliar or is not an obvious match, the reluctance to pursue it may have less to do with capability and more to do with identity. The article points to research where only a third of job seekers were willing to take a reskilling course leading to new opportunities, and some required a stipend just to consider a career switch. While the research is based on a small segment of job seekers, one practical implication is that offering reskilling and job opportunities alone is not enough. Organizations need to help employees envision themselves in new and unfamiliar roles, which is really a positioning and marketing opportunity. This connects to a point I made last week covering the Sidetracked: The Hidden Crisis in Mid-Career Mobility report (Burning Glass Institute and NYU SPS): better positioning and marketing of lateral moves can open up renewed interest in them as a way to grow and develop one’s career.