Internal mobility runs on release conditions
A talent marketplace only works when leaders agree capacity, time and release conditions for internal moves.
Opportunity depends on workload, manager support and timing.
A colleague is identified for a development assignment. The fit is strong, the employee is keen and the sponsor is ready. Then the current manager can’t release them. The opportunity exists in the system, not in practice.
A talent marketplace needs agreements on capacity and priorities. Who covers the current work? How much time can the assignment take? What does the manager gain by developing talent for another team? These are leadership choices. A matching engine can’t settle them.
Where I’d start: pilot a few short assignments with agreed time allocation, release conditions and a learning sponsor. Let people apply, not just be suggested by the system. Review who gets access and which groups keep missing out.
The test: past assignments reflect past access to opportunity. They’re not a full read of someone’s potential.
Source: World Economic Forum · Future of Jobs Report (employer expectations, not proof that talent marketplaces work)
Disagree? Tell me on LinkedIn. That’s where the discussion happens.