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How Career Pathing Leads to Employee Retention

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The latest Workplace Learning Report reveals that 93% of organizations are concerned with employee retention. Meanwhile, “providing learning opportunities” is the No. 1 method being used to address it. Modern companies realize that investing in the growth and development of their talent is essential to retention.

 

But according to Gartner, 44% of HR leaders believe their organizations do not have compelling career paths. While a good start, learning opportunities are only the beginning of an effective employee retention strategy. To nurture long-term working relationships with your employees, focus on the big picture of their careers and how they can achieve their goals in your organization — whether that means developing in their role, moving laterally, or advancing into leadership.

Why internal mobility is a business imperative

“Internal mobility, especially for BIPOC employees, is about opening up the playing field.”

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Jackie Parker

Senior Vice President, Talent Management and Chief Diversity Officer, Global Payments

Organizations that invest in career-oriented skill-building programs are more likely to enjoy internal mobility, more robust employee retention, and greater organizational agility. 

 

A review of 32 million LinkedIn profiles showed a significant correlation between internal mobility and institutional longevity.

Graph depicting likelihood of employees moving roles internally

An important finding of this study is that there was little difference in employee retention between those who moved to a more senior role within their company and those who moved laterally.

 

The key takeaway: Workers who enjoy movement within their individual career path are more satisfied to remain with their employer and feel engaged in their work.

 

 

Using career pathing to align learning programs to business goals

After earning a seat at the C-suite table, L&D leaders now have an incredible opportunity to help their organizations realize significant outcomes. With greater insight into the business goals driving your organization, it is even easier to develop career pathing strategies that align with those goals. 

 

L&D–led career pathing refers to the process of working closely with employees to plan and strategize individualized career tracks with the aim of achieving long-term career goals.

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According to the latest Workplace Learning Report, employees’ top motivations to learn are: 

 

  1. Progress toward career goals
  2. Staying up to date in their fields
  3. If they had more time
  4. Personalized learning for their interests and career goals

 

It’s clear that employees want to learn. But not every employee feels encouraged to learn.

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The employee experience disconnect

While C-suite executives are prioritizing employee engagement and internal mobility, the employee experience does not reflect this.

 

  • Only 15% of employees say their organization encouraged them to move to a new role.

     

  • Only 26% of employees say their organization challenged them to learn a new skill.

     

  • Only 14% of employees say their organization encouraged them to build a new career development plan.

Illustration representing the employee experience

Creating a culture of learning

The most important thing you can do as an L&D leader is to create a clear and celebratory culture of learning at your organization. 

 

People who aren’t learning will leave to find fulfillment elsewhere. Recent talent disruptions have empowered workers and demonstrated to many the value of finding the work they do gratifying.

 

The top five factors workers cite when when considering a new job are:

 

  1. Compensation and benefits that align with their personal needs
  2. Workplace flexibility
  3. Work that is challenging and impactful
  4. Opportunities for career growth within the company 
  5. Opportunities to learn and develop new skills
Illustration representing a culture of learning

Meeting employees where they’re at on their journey

More L&D teams are shifting away from large-scale learning initiatives and toward individualized upskilling based on career pathing. A clear benefit of career pathing is that it takes into account each employee’s needs, goals, and where they are at in their overall career. 

 

A notable finding from the Workplace Learning Report reveals an opportunity to differentiate upskilling based on age group.

 

  • Younger workers are eager to learn: They’re still growing and discovering all the opportunities that lie before them.

     

  • Workers who fall between the ages of 35 and 49 are more likely to value work-life balance and may have different upskilling needs, such as self-directed e-learning that fits better into their busy lives.

     

  • Those who are age 50+ value work that is more challenging and impactful, and are seeking to carve out their legacy.

Illustrartion of professionals meeting employees where they are

Invest in talent to retain and grow your employees

“In challenging economic times, there is a strong argument to invest in building critical skills.”

Professional headshot of Simon Brown

Simon Brown

Chief Learning Officer, Novartis

There is strong evidence that internal mobility creates resilient, agile organizations. In fact, the report reveals that at the two-year mark, an employee that has made internal advancement is almost 20% more likely to stay with the organization than one who hasn’t. 

 

By understanding what motivates the individuals in their workforce, L&D leaders can develop career pathing strategies for their organization that inspire employees to stay while also meeting those key business objectives. 

 

Explore career pathing capabilities in LinkedIn Learning to engage and retain your talent.

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