Finding new roles for existing staff within your organization

Purpose – Considers why being able to find new roles for employees within the organization is of growing importance. Design/methodology/approach – Explains the need for organizations to identify what skills they will need in future and understand the individual strengths of the people they already employ. Argues that “growing your own timber” is a more effective proposition than buying in new resource. Findings – Emphasizes the need to deal constructively with blockers – employees in key positions who the organization feels are not now optimal for that role. Practical implications – Highlights the need for individual workers to understand that their personal and professional growth is a prerequisite for their ongoing professional capability. Social implications – Looks at the impact on individual employees, and on organizations, of the social change towards greater flexibility in the workforce. Originality/value – Argues that organizational development, talent management, learning development and people engagement will be key to the strategies for enabling organizations to find new roles for existing staff.