Intuitively, business leaders and HR professionals know it’s important to offer their workers career mobility within their companies. And it turns out research underscores the benefits to both workers and employees. According to McKinsey & Company, internal mobility in the form of advancement and other opportunities leads to less turnover and more engaged employees.

What strategies, programs, and policies are organizations creating to support their employees' career trajectories? How are organizations creating a culture where employees are encouraged to learn other skills and transition into other positions within their companies?

From Day One’s Boston conference last month featured a panel of business leaders sharing successful strategies they’ve implemented in their organizations to support internal mobility.

Career Growth as a Collaborative Effort

“How much onus is on the individual employee, versus the employer, to seek out ways to advance,?” asked Katie Johnston, moderator and reporter for the Boston Globe asked the speakers. Anne Feeley, global talent and success leader at the health-sciences company Revvity, replied that initiative from the employee and employer is equally necessary.

Feeley said that at Revvity, employees are encouraged to ask about advancement opportunities. The company also has an established, annual talent review to strategize individual career development. During the review, their HR partners discuss who has shown interest in other positions within the company. “[W]ho are those personalities who could try new things? And then we really focus 11 out of the 12 months on developing them and progressing those opportunities for them.”

Showing this consistent attention to advancement is crucial, according to another McKinsey & Company report: 70% of employees believe work defines their sense of purpose. Company leaders and managers must match the aspirations of their workers by facilitating programs to help workers find meaning and purpose in their careers. Or they risk losing them.

Jason Cerrato, VP of talent-centered transformation at Eightfold, a talent-intelligence platform, described Eightfold Talent Management, which allows employees to see how their skills can be used in other positions and identifies career openings needing to be filled. Eightfold Talent Management blends employee initiative with organizational guidance and leadership.

Stephanie Ricks, director of corporate development and technology partnerships at Strategic Education, discussed the company’s educational platform Workforce Edge, where workers can browse a library of certifications, degree programs, and courses. Workforce Edge is an innovative solution to underutilized tuition-assistance programs, providing educational and training resources that company tuition-assistance policies often don't cover, Ricks said.

Shardé Marchewski, global head of DEI and social impact at the furnishings company Wayfair, discussed a program called the Career Jungle Gym where employees can seek new positions. Wayfair has also generated an internal-mobility pool where current employees are considered first for newer positions before searching for talent externally. Marchewski explained that in addition to allowing employees to create their career paths, underrepresented employees have experienced more opportunities to apply to different positions.

Maintaining Engagement

What if an employee is happy with their role? What if an employee has already obtained a PhD and is at their highest skill level? In what ways can an organization keep them engaged? Alexandra Kiniry, the regional head of talent acquisition at the industrial and consumer-products company Henkel, recommended providing those employees with opportunities to mentor or lead special projects. “I had one woman on the team 42 years with the company, another gentleman 30 years, and same kind of thing,” Kiniry said. “Just always engaging them in things, in departments that touched our department, or, like I said, that mentorship.”

Feeley shared how Revvity created a “gigs” program where employees spend up to 12 weeks on a project for skill development. Revvity also launched a scientific forum where employees can learn more about their field and receive guidance on their career trajectories.

The goal is to cast a wide net for internal talent to collaborate with managers and leaders for their career trajectory. Employees take the initiative to inquire about other positions, different skills, and special projects that contribute to feeling purposeful within their organizations. Then, by collaborating with managers and leaders on special projects and mentorships by utilizing mobility policies, employees feel a sense of purpose, self-direction, and support within their organizations.

Jason Cerrato, VP of talent-centered transformation at Eightfold, shared insights on the importance of internal mobility

LinkedIn News reported that workers who move internally are 64% more likely to stay at an organization longer than three years. Internal mobility is a sustainable strategy for employer and employee success. “The people that are leaving are often saying, ‘I didn’t know there was a path,’ Cerrato said. “So all the things we’re talking about today are finding ways to both make that more transparent as well as create a broader audience for inclusion.”

Stephanie Reed is a freelance writer focused on news and marketing; Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting ethical and eco-conscious businesses.

Efficiency and Worker Happiness: How to Find a Middle Ground

Dialogue is essential when addressing people-management challenges and sustaining a positive corporate culture, says Ginger Gregory, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief human resource officer of Biogen. “Treat people like adults, measure them on their outcome, [connect them in the office] sometimes, and let managers manage their own teams,” she said in a fireside chat moderated by Callum Borchers of the Wall Street Journal at From Day One’s Boston conference.Gregory encourages managers to make the right decisions for their teams, especially within a company that spans diverse roles, from frontline lab work to corporate positions. This reflects a more nuanced view on fairness, where fair no longer means the same for everyone. “We have people working labs, we have people working manufacturing, who have to be in the facilities,” she said. “We do manage it based on the role first, but those roles with more flexibility we encourage it. If you don’t treat people like adults, engagement drops,” she said.Biogen’s engagement hinges on its mission, in that it creates life-saving therapies, a process that sometimes takes years, and, due to the nature of the process itself, some products might not reach the finish line.“We’re very mission driven. Often, employees can see [patients] and see how products are developing,” said Gregory. This enables workers to see how their efforts directly contribute to meaningful outcomes and the impact they’re making. “We’re a team, and in the last 12 months we launched three new products. We’re keeping the patient story front and center.”For example, they offer products for muscular atrophy and multiple sclerosis, and they make it a priority to understand life from a patient’s perspective—not only in their daily work but also in what patients experience beyond the workplace, says Gregory.Ginger Gregory of Biogen was interviewed during the fireside chatA similar approach has positively impacted retention as well, which Gregory attributes to HR's specialized training. “When I started in this career, it was when McKinsey’s War for Talent paper came out: how do we develop talent? How do we get managers to care?” she said. At Biogen, managers are walked through conversations centered on thriving, both for themselves and for their direct reports.“Managers are getting much better at engaging in dialogues with people,” she said. Part of this effort involves orbit programs, where an employee tries out a slightly different function for a set amount of time. “That’s a short way we can get people to try out different things; managers need to know what people want, but they also have to be open to what happens,” said Gregory.Diversity, equity, and inclusion also remain a core value at Biogen. The company has stood firm on its beliefs and practices. “We haven’t rolled back anything. When I came to Biogen, we were already quite advanced, we had employee network groups, community labs, and more,” she said. “We have not changed our approach: inclusion is part of our cultural essential, and we have the backing of our Board and CEO, we believe it’s going to help us be higher performers.”Ultimately, the work being done at Biogen not only fosters a strong internal culture but also enhances the company’s overall mission. By prioritizing open dialogue and understanding the patient experience, Biogen reinforces the value of each employee’s contribution, creating a workplace where individuals feel valued and engaged. This alignment of purpose both inside and outside the company ensures that every effort is directed towards achieving meaningful impact in the lives of patients and the broader community.Angelica Frey is a writer and a translator based in Boston and Milan.

Designing Benefit Programs with a Holistic Approach to Worker Well-Being

At From Day One’s NYC Benefits conference, panelist Meera Oliva, chief marketing officer at Candidly, shared some sobering statistics on personal finance: Almost half of Americans don’t have $500 saved for an emergency. And 80% of student loan borrowers do not start saving for retirement until they’re done paying down their student debt.“These problems don’t live in isolation,” Oliva said, impacting a person’s family life and even their work performance. That’s why financial well-being is one aspect of holistic health that should be incorporated into an effective employee benefits package.As companies strive to support their employees comprehensively, offering benefits that provide practical help as well as peace of mind can be a key factor in attracting and retaining top talent. What are the most innovative employee benefits that can be crafted by combining diverse point solutions, from mental health support for teens to employer contributions toward student loan repayment? Executive panelists shared tips during a session about “Designing Benefit Programs with a Holistic Approach to Worker Well-Being.”Meeting Employees Where They AreToday’s employers are looking for a holistic solution, says moderator Jenny Sucov, an independent health and well-being journalist, but also one that is applicable and adaptable for the majority of employees. “We want to address everyone in the workforce, and we want to increase productivity, and we want to stay within budget. Kind of a tall order,” said Sucov.The panelists spoke about "Designing Benefit Programs with a Holistic Approach to Worker Well-Being"Ultimately, it comes down to understanding exactly who your workforce is and putting their unique needs at the forefront of your strategy. “In healthcare, employees are caregivers. They spend most of their day caring for patients and the community, and the reality is that most of them go home and they're still caregivers, whether it's their children or their parents or family members or their pets. So, there’s just very little time for them to care for themselves and it’s hard for them to prioritize their own well-being,” said Lindsey Garito, AVP, talent enablement at Montefiore Health System. “We want to make sure that our employees are feeling cared for, and that their health and well-being is being prioritized the same way that [they care for our] patients.”Montefiore is rebranding its benefits program to emphasize personal well-being, calling their program “Healthy ME,” the ‘ME’ also representing Montefiore Einstein. The program is designed to align with the lifestyle of Montefiore employees. “We need them to be able to get the information that they need when they need it, which is typically not at work, not at a desk,” Garito said. “Many of them don’t really access work email, and so we want to make sure that we’re also reaching their families and having tools and resources that they can utilize when they’re at home, which is typically when the benefits-related conversations are being had.”Building the Right ProgramsThe best way to find out what would work best is to ask the employees directly. “We have a lot of data scientists in our workforce, and one of the things that we use to truly engage our employees and [see] what they’re looking for are the employee engagement surveys,” said Christina Hansen, director, global benefits, HR, at Verisk. “Just this past June, there were 1,500 comments, and [our CHRO] read them all, and she sent them out to various HR leaders.”In the Verisk surveys, the most talked about issue has been mental health, so the company instituted structured wellness day and Summer Fridays. “Those were some flexible wellness offerings that the company could give where it wasn’t costing us a lot of money, and yet it was very valuable,” Hansen said. The organization also hired a vendor to increase accessibility to mental health resources. For just a $25 copay, employees and their families can access therapists and even psychiatrists. “The utilization rate has quadrupled since January,” Hansen said. “We’re looking to promote it, to make sure that people understand that if you need help it’s just a phone call away.”Prioritizing Ease of UseMaking sure health benefits are as streamlined as possible will ensure employees make the most of them. “We’re constantly innovating and evolving to see what [people] need. You want to make it as comprehensive as possible,” said Justine Mitsock, senior strategist at Lyra. “We don’t want to have to send your folks one place to do some mindfulness and do just a quick wellness check in. Go to another place where maybe you need some mental health therapy. Go to yet another place where you need specialty support for your children. Where we’re staying ahead of the game is trying to be as comprehensive as possible so that you don’t have to spend your time navigating.”Getting the word out about the full spectrum of benefits and how to access them can be tricky in a large organization where simple internal communications might not reach everyone. Garito’s organization has a public website that can be perused not only by current, but by potential employees, as well as their families, in addition to regular employee newsletters that highlight different EAP’s and benefits innovations.Navigating cultural and generational differences among employees can also be a challenge. Hansen worked with her EAP vendor to have an ambassador training program that teaches employee volunteers how to communicate about the wellness program in a way that is personal, effective, and culturally appropriate.Recognizing the Importance of Financial WellnessAs Oliva noted, so much of an employee’s overall well-being and performance is tied to their financial stability. “Financial wellness and financial stresses are a really big part of how people show up at work,” Sucov said.Whether that’s lingering student debt, buying a home, or saving for children’s future college expenses, “that link between financial stress and the stress that people bring into the workplace is well-established,” Oliva said. That stress causes employees to miss work or be distracted on the job. Oliva shares that employees may spend an average of three to five working hours per week dealing with their personal finances. Providing financial benefits packages can help alleviate that stress and allow them to be more engaged in the workplace. It’s also important to note that financial stress and debt impacts all members of a family unit, and therefore whenever possible, all should have access to the education and benefits being provided for this to be a truly holistic approach.Evaluating your Current OfferingsUtilization is the number one way to evaluate if your program is effective. “We’re constantly reviewing claims. Where is this going? What are the top drivers of claims utilization? What can we do? What are alternatives to help change behavior where you don’t always have to run to the doctor for something that’s happening?” Hansen said.And all employers should be reviewing their benefits package to make sure it’s inclusive of a variety of employee lifestyles and reflects all the different things the word “family” can mean to us today.“In a world in which families take on all different shapes and sizes, how are you providing access? What systems do people who aren’t employees have access to? How are they gaining access to this benefit?” Oliva said. And employers must incorporate these families into their potential budget. “You have to think about the downstream impacts of that, and how you want to manage that type of inclusivity.”Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

Creating a Culture for Workers to Explore, Grow, and Belong

Vail Resorts has become a global leader in luxury ski experiences, owning and operating 42 ski resorts in four countries around the world: the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, and Australia. This comes after a period of exponential growth. Just 10 years ago, the organization had only 10 resorts. So, its workforce has had to grow and diversify as rapidly as its portfolio.Being inclusive in a business with tens of thousands of workers at peak season means developing leaders to broaden their skillset to engage with people in a more human-centric way. That calls for showing workers how they can explore a wide variety of jobs, to expand their capabilities, and have a sense that they belong. Everyone shares the same mission: to create the experience of a lifetime.Engaging Seasonal and Year-round WorkersThe vast majority of Vail’s workforce is seasonal, Lynanne Kunkel, chief HR officer at Vail Resorts, shared during a fireside chat at From Day One’s Denver conference. We have about 55,000 employees total at peak, and about 49,000 of them are seasonal. And our seasonal workforce is our frontline,” she said.Being in the experience business, she says, the company’s mission is to provide guests with the experience of a lifetime. This value system is also embedded in the organization’s human resources approach. “We create the experience of a lifetime for our employees, so they, in turn, can create the experience of a lifetime for our guests,” Kunkel said. “We put a lot of emphasis on understanding our frontline employee experience to make sure we’re [accomplishing that].” A large part of the year-round workforce are the frontline managers, so the company also prioritizes investing in their ability to properly support the seasonal teams.Housing in resort towns is notoriously pricey, so Vail Resorts offers a program to help employees live within a commutable distance to work. “We build housing that is owned and operated by Vail Resorts. We also have master leases with other developers in our resort communities so that we can support employees if they want to come for a season,” she said. This is especially crucial for first-time employees who may be unfamiliar with and have little connection to the area.Prioritizing Employee Retention“Seasonal employees have a choice every season to decide: Do they want to re-up with Vail Resorts? Or do they want to go do something different?” Kunkel said. “And so, over the years, we have spent a lot of time trying to understand what differentiates the frontline experience.” Vail Resorts used the global labor shortage during the pandemic as an opportunity to refresh its employee value proposition, which is now: “Explore. Grow. Belong.”Investing in employees is also top of mind. “We invested $175 million in employee experience through a combination of wages, benefits, frontline development programs, [and] frontline recognition programs, all in service to the idea that our frontline employees don't just work for Vail Resorts. They are Vail Resorts. They are the experience that is the differentiator for our guests,” she said.Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton of the Denver Post, right, interviewed Lynanne Kunkel, CHRO of Vail ResortsKunkel hopes talented employees will “come for a season, but stay for a career,” attracted by different job types and the opportunity to participate in development programs for career growth. The organization has a workforce management system that allows employees to qualify for skills outside of their core responsibilities and try out new positions through open available shifts. Not only does this allow for upskilling, but it also gives workers the opportunity to take on additional hours for extra income.The highest performing winter employees are also invited to stay through the summer for a special development program. “Epic Service Summer is an opportunity for them to get a differentiated development experience as part of their summer employment,” Kunkel said. The program has had a marked impact on both growth and retention. “We found that the participants in that program are getting promoted in their next season at five times the rate of their peers, and at two times the rate of their other high-performing peers. If they’re not getting promoted, [then] they’re moving laterally at three times the rate of their peers and two times the rate of their high-performing peers.”Creating a Diverse Workforce That Reflects the Future of the IndustryModerator Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, neighborhood reporter at The Denver Post, notes that the ski industry has a reputation for being “very homogenous.” Vail Resorts is striving to change that.“We as a company have made a declaration that the future of the sport is inclusion,” Kunkel said. Vail Resorts has been using the CRM system Epic Pass to “understand our guests, and our guest behaviors and preferences, in an extreme amount of detail,” she said. “With Epic Pass and the data that comes from it, we’re able to make targeted investments in improving the guest experience in a data-driven way.”Vail Resorts is also using data to understand the demographics of the industry and society at large–-and the gap that exists there. “Over 70% of skiers start the sport as beginners below the age of 18,” Kunkel said. With the majority of children in the U.S. being non-white, “the future of the industry is counting on these kids to start skiing before the age of 18. If we don’t invest now in building inclusive resorts where people feel welcome, our business will not be sustainable. The best way to make our resorts welcoming is to aspire to have our internal employee demographic mix mirror what we believe is the demographic mix of the future of the sport.”Preparing for Continued Growth“There are some changes happening within the company that were announced recently that are going to take place over the next two years,” Boyanton noted. Vail Resorts recently announced the commencement of a two-year resource efficiency transformation plan.“We have three resorts in Australia [and] two resorts in Switzerland, and we are very committed to continuing to build out Europe as our next region of operation,” Kunkel said. “As we’ve looked at what it’s going to take for us to support the global expansion of our company into other geographies, this was a good time for us to take a look at our organization effectiveness [and] invest in some great organizational design work in order to scale the company to support that expansion.”As it grows, Kunkel says, Vail Resorts will continue to invest in the employee experience. “The whole idea of this is to create a scalable platform as we grow, to allow our frontline teams to focus on the guest experience and give them the scalable tools and support that they need to be able to do that in the most efficient, effective way.”Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

The Importance of Giving Workers New Opportunities Within Their Companies

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