Internal promotion is a major asset for companies in managing their human resources. It offers numerous economic, organizational and human advantages.

Especially on the human level, this type of promotion makes the most of the talents present within a company. When used properly, it helps to retain talent within the organization, and to increase performance by motivating employees.

With this in mind, this article provides a detailed introduction to the concept of internal promotion, as well as the essentials you need to know in order to use it to talents within your company.

What is internal promotion?

In a professional context internal promotionalso known as vertical internal mobility, refers to the elevation of an employee’s hierarchical status within a company.

It usually takes the form of an appointment to a senior position, with increased responsibilities and higher remuneration.

This change of position is also accompanied by the signing of a new employment contract, since the nature of the tasks previously performed by the employee and the associated remuneration are modified.

An employee’s internal promotion is usually the result of long experience with the company or positive results.

As a general rule, this promotion is decided by the employer, although in exceptional cases it may be automatic under certain collective agreements.

For example, once an employee has reached a certain number of years’ service with the company, he or she can be systematically promoted.

What are the advantages of developing talent through internal promotion?

Among benefits of internal vertical mobility when used to develop talent, include talent retention and increased employee performance.

Talent retention

Internal promotion plays a vital role in retaining talent within a company.

In fact, by carrying out an internal promotion process, the structure offers one of its employees the chance to move up the organization chart, thus encouraging loyalty.

This approach has a positive impact, not only on this talent, but also on all employees, especially those aspiring to move up the ladder. They are more motivated to stay with the company and continue their progression.

By encouraging internal promotion, the company creates an environment conducive to commitment and loyalty. It is a clear demonstration of the company’s willingness to allow professional growth from within.

Performance growth

When used properly, internal promotion is a highly effective growth factor for a company.

Indeed, in addition to being a means of supporting professional growth, internal promotion is a means of distinguishing and rewarding the most deserving employees within the company.

As a result, it is effective in encouraging all staff to excel and exceed their objectives.

By adopting an internal promotion system, a company can succeed in engage and retain its employees around a culture where recognition of merit is at the heart of career advancement.

In such a context, employees are motivated to invest more, improve their performance and persevere in their efforts at work in order to be distinguished and rewarded in turn.

So, much more than a simple individual reward, internal promotion can be a driving force to boost performance within the company.

Which talents should be developed through internal promotion?

Not all employees have the skills and experience required for internal promotion.

Similarly, the promotion of any employee will not offer the company the advantages mentioned above.

To identify the ideal candidate to promote in order to benefit from the advantages of internal promotion, several criteria need to be taken into account. These include :

  • Skills: Having defined the requirements of the position to be filled, it is essential to assess the skills of potential candidates and compare them with the requirements of the position;
  • Results: Often, job performance is the best indicator. Employees who achieve outstanding results and meet their objectives are generally strong candidates for promotion;
  • Motivation: A professional promotion is usually accompanied by an increase in responsibilities. It is crucial that the candidate demonstrates the will to take on these new challenges and to assume these expanded functions;
  • Ambition: Despite good performance, some employees may not aspire to progress. It’s important to identify those who are truly ambitious;
  • Soft skills: In addition to technical skills, personal qualities such as leadership, teamwork, the ability to encourage others, creativity and initiative are all key elements to be taken into account;
  • Commitment: Candidates for promotion must be actively involved in the life of the company and uphold its values.

How to make a success of the internal promotion process?

Among the secrets of a successful internal mobility process include a number of steps.

Precisely define the new mission

It is essential to define the employee’s new mission precisely. It is therefore the employer’s responsibility to clearly communicate in the new employment contract the objectives, expectations and duties associated with the new position.

This will enable the promoted employee to fully understand what is expected of him or her, and the responsibilities entrusted to him or her.

In addition, for the new employee to feel truly valued, it’s vital that there is a real evolution between his new responsibilities and his previous ones.

Facilitating skills development

Generally speaking, internal promotion involves new responsibilities requiring the acquisition of specific skills.

Therefore, promoting an agile internal vertical mobility requires particular attention to employee training and skills development.

So, to ensure the success of an employee’s promotion, it’s imperative to give them the means to acquire the skills essential to the success of their new missions.

Provide the necessary resources and tools

In addition to skills, it is essential to provide employees with the resources and tools they need to achieve their new goals and perform their tasks to the best of their ability.

This means providing them with the right equipment and making sure they have access to the resources they need.

It’s essential not to underestimate this aspect, because for an employee to be as effective as possible, he or she needs to be well equipped and feel supported in carrying out their duties.

Furthermore, internal promotion would lose its appeal to company staff if the necessary resources and tools were not made available to promoted employees. In effect, this would mean a deterioration in their working conditions.

Support through follow-up

To ensure the success of this promotion, it is essential to maintain continuous monitoring through regular interviews and frequent checkpoints.

You can, measure and manage internal mobility processes The vertical integration process requires constant attention. Such attention is necessary to verify the employee’s adaptation to his or her new position and to rectify any problems.

Thanks to high-quality monitoring, potential failures in the implementation of internal promotion can be avoided.