In recent years, it has been difficult to avoid stories about The Great Resignation. Many companies have experienced high levels of employee turnover, which along with tight job markets has led them to reexamine recruitment and retention strategies. The current labor market conditions serve as an important reminder for companies to reflect on the type of workplace environment they are creating and why employees are leaving in the first place. Research shows that having opportunities to learn and grow is the No. 1 factor employees say defines an “exceptional work environment.” Regardless of industry, data also show that lack of career development and advancement opportunities are neck-and-neck with pay as the main reason people decide to leave (or stay at) their jobs.

The reality is that employees want opportunities to learn. Without clear pathways toward professional and personal growth, employees will look for them elsewhere. For example, of the two-thirds of employees who have left a job because of a lack of career growth, 90% would have stayed if they had seen growth opportunities. And, three of the top five factors people consider when pursuing new jobs reflect their desire to stretch, grow and develop new skills.

The Link Between Internal Mobility and Attrition

The link between attrition and internal mobility is well established: When employees have opportunities to learn, they are less likely to leave. But if employees are going to advance their careers within your organization, they must know about (and actually have) growth opportunities. You might imagine that when looking for a new opportunity, employees would start with their current employer. But that’s not always the case.

For instance, 50% of employees say it is easier to find a new role outside their organization than inside, and many don’t even look. A recent Gartner survey found that only 33% of people looking for a new job in the prior 12 months searched within their organization first, and around one-half of those surveyed were unaware of internal job openings at their company. If the path forward, upward or laterally is not obvious, employees may think it is easier to leave their position than to find new opportunities within your organization.

How to Improve Your Learning Culture and Impact Internal Mobility

To improve the learning culture in your organization and encourage people to stay, it’s important you dig in and do the work to understand what career growth and development mean to your employees and then support them to realize their goals. Leaders are in a unique position to impact internal mobility by enthusiastically modeling a culture of learning and connecting it directly to each employee’s career aspirations as well as your organizational mission and goals.

To foster a strong learning culture focused on internal mobility, skills development and clear career paths, train leaders on the following strategies:

Get to know team members.

When leaders get to know their team members on a deeper level, it helps foster many of the elements of a positive learning environment, including a sense of belonging, connection to others, and feeling valued and accepted. Talk to employees about their strengths, goals, frustrations and motivations. Ask about the kinds of experiences they are looking for. Understand that people evolve, so it’s important to keep the discussions with employees going for as long as they are part of the team. This signals to employees that their development is important to you, and that they are valued as individuals. It also reinforces their long-term relationship with the company.

Make clear the link between learning, skills development pathways and career growth.

 Show your team members obvious paths to advancement and growth. Prioritize learning and talk about upskilling and reskilling and aligning these opportunities to personal aspirations and organizational goals. Share stories of internal mobility. Don’t reserve discussions of development goals for certain milestones (e.g., the end of the onboarding period or the one-year mark).

Instead, engage in proactive conversations with your employees about skills they would like to learn and which career paths or other roles interest them. Retention increases when employees have clear career goals and understand the skills they need to achieve those goals. Clear career paths also incentivize employees to keep contributing at a high level.

Provide resources as well as guidance and support.

Don’t limit learning opportunities to traditional experiences like workshops or online courses. On-the-job apprenticeships and temporary gigs, projects or assignments can help employees grow and build organizational resilience and agility at the same time. Ensure employees know how to use available learning opportunities meaningfully — simply providing access to a large library of courses isn’t an effective learning strategy. Imagine a teacher handing you a pile of books and saying, “Here you are, now go and learn!”

Development works best when managers help identify the right resources and sequence them to align with an employee’s goals, strengths and needs. Supporting employees as they gain and apply new skills is essential.

Help people conduct their careers in ways that suit them.

One of a leader’s most important responsibilities is to help employees grow in ways that align with their goals and allow them to increase their impact within the organization. Not everyone aspires to climb a traditional, vertical career ladder or move into management. Some may thrive by excelling in their current role, while others may prioritize roles that leave time for personal pursuits.

Growth is not about ambition or promotions — it’s about expanding one’s impact over time, as Kim Scott describes in “Radical Candor.” To support this, talk with your team about their desired growth trajectory and whether it aligns with their current opportunities. These conversations not only help you personalize development plans but also ensure employees don’t feel stuck or limited to vertical advancement. Lateral moves, for example, can help employees build new skills while meeting business needs. By embracing diverse growth paths, you foster a culture where every employee feels supported and empowered to succeed.

Clearly outline and share internal mobility policies and procedures.

Prioritizing continuous learning is an important step in establishing a strong workplace learning culture. Having laid the foundation, one of the most important things leaders can do to impact internal mobility is to encourage and create transparency. Many employees don’t feel encouraged to pursue internal roles and don’t feel they can discuss options with their manager. It should be crystal clear where employees can find information on job openings and the steps required to reach desired positions or change roles.

Talk to your employees about their future and make sure they know who else within your company is a resource for new opportunities — and encourage them to reach out. And a cautionary note: Don’t be a talent hoarder! Focus on helping your team succeed and advance, even if it means your top performers moving elsewhere to have impact in other roles within the organization.

Conclusion

As a training professional, remind leaders in your organization that prioritizing a strong learning culture that supports internal mobility isn’t just a retention strategy: It’s a demonstration of your commitment to the growth of your team and the success of your company.  When you invest in understanding employees’ goals, provide clear pathways for development and foster a culture of continuous learning, you are fostering a workplace in which employees feel valued, motivated and empowered to succeed.

By embracing diverse growth trajectories, encouraging mobility and prioritizing skills development, leaders can not only retain valuable employees but also drive innovation, agility and long-term success.