Vertical mobility: how interim management can meet your needs

Vertical mobility is inevitable within any company, and is often accompanied by a number of recruitment issues. Faced with these limitations, interim management represents an ideal alternative.  

What is vertical mobility?

Vertical mobility is a form of internal professional mobility that refers to the movement of an employee between different levels of the same organisational structure or from one organisation (workplace) to another. It can be upward (when an employee is promoted) or downward (when an employee is demoted). A distinction is made between vertical mobility and horizontal mobility (or transversal mobility). The latter refers to a change of position at the same hierarchical level, but within a different department, or with different missions. Social mobility is also used to describe the movement of employees between different positions in the social hierarchy (as opposed to social immobility). Internal vertical mobility can be the result of hierarchical evolutions (in the case of upward mobility), but it can also be linked to demotion or downgrading (in the case of downward mobility). Vertical mobility can also be the result of a career change: for example, where an employee decides to create their own company (in which case they move from the subordinate social status to a company manager status); or where an executive decides to retrain, and to embark on a new career, starting off as an apprentice. In these two examples, there is a real change in the socio-professional category.  

What are the issues involved in vertical mobility?

The change in the social category of employees is a prerequisite for the growth of any company: it is what allows professional evolution and the development of skills. It is also a key driver of motivation and commitment, providing employees with career opportunities. However, any vertical mobility inevitably involves recruitment issues. The promotion of an executive, a manager, a director or an operational director can be a real internal recruitment challenge. These key positions, once vacant, are often difficult to fill. These changes in social category thus imply recruitment procedures that are often long and costly. The company's problem is twofold: finding a suitable candidate, and finding a way to fill the position of the absent employee until the recruitment process is finalised. This period can easily extend over several months, and the consequences can be very damaging for the organisation.  

How can interim management respond to your vertical mobility issues?

Interim management is an ideal response to human resources management issues related to structural mobility. The interim manager is an experienced, highly qualified professional who has held senior positions for more than ten years. Over a period of six to 18 months, the interim manager works onsite, replacing the absent employee.  With interim management, you can thus outsource the management of a department or the taking-over of a strategic position. To find an interim manager, you can turn to a specialised interim management firm, such as WAYDEN. We have a network of 8,000 seasoned professionals in a wide range of business sectors (retail, banking, insurance, aeronautics, IT, etc.) and specialisations (CFO, sales director, HR director, strategic manager, local manager, etc.). With 15 to 25 years’ experience, our executives are used to working in strategic positions in complex environments. Operational from the moment they join your company, they can handle every aspect of the job with the utmost operational excellence, whether this be everyday tasks, key projects or team management. They are also skilled at identifying gaps, optimising processes and innovating to enhance your company's competitive edge.