Recruiting and obtaining new talent for your organization can be quite difficult, especially now, in a tight labor market. The cost of turnover is also extremely high for companies due to lost productivity while positions are vacant, diminished productivity from other employees who are trying to fill the role of the vacated position, decreased productivity from managers training new hires, increased overtime labor costs, etc.  As a result, many employers choose to focus some of their recruiting efforts toward their current employees. By recruiting from within, top performing employees are encouraged to flourish along with the company and contribute to its success.

How to Recruit from Within

Recruiting from within can be a rewarding process, both for your organization and your employees. Here are some best practices to help guide you:

  • Make sure internal employees are aware of all open positions. Communicate about these positions through staff meetings, company newsletters, and other internal communications to make sure all employees know when a position is vacant.
  • Offer internal candidates the same opportunity to interview for the position as the external candidates.
  • Actively communicate with internal candidates that have the skills necessary to fill the position to see if they might be interested in a new position. Be careful about overlooking employees in different departments for open positions.
  • During regular one on one meetings with employees, supervisors should discuss potential new opportunities for employees who possess certain strengths applicable to open positions.
  • Keep communication open and request that all employees notify their current supervisor before applying for a new internal position. Help internal leaders see the benefits of recruiting from within so they don’t feel threatened when an employee expresses interest in another department.
  • Provide timely and thorough feedback for all internal candidate. Explain what the candidate’s strengths are and where they can improve.

Advantages of Recruiting from Within:

  • Capitalizes on the company’s investment in recruiting and training current employees.
  • Reinforces an environment of retention and professional development opportunities.
  • Rewards engaged employees and top performers.
  • Improves employee morale and promotes positive working relationships.
  • The cost to hire from within is lower and generally takes less time. The training process for internal candidates is usually less time-consuming. And internal candidates already have established relationships with staff members that can assist them in getting acclimated to their new roles.

Disadvantages of Recruiting from Within:

  • Your current employee pool may not have the skills and/or experience needed to fill the position.
  • By filling one position with an internal candidate, another open position is created, which may ultimately present recruiting challenges.
  • May inhibit the influx of new ideas because there are no real “new” voices offering opinions and suggestions.
  • Individual employee morale may decrease if a person is not selected for a position.

Recruiting from within can create a win-win situation for the company and for employees. It is important to understand the benefits and potential pitfalls before implementing an internal recruiting strategy. If you have questions, reach out to our HR team at humanresources@helpside.com.