Crossboarding

What is it?

Crossboarding refers to the process of transferring employees to new roles, departments, or functions within the same organisation, rather than onboarding new hires from outside. Unlike onboarding, which involves integrating external candidates into the organisation, crossboarding focuses on internal talent movement and development. Crossboarding can involve promotions, lateral moves, or even a shift into a completely different function within the company.

Why is it important?

  • Talent Retention: Crossboarding helps retain valuable employees by providing them with growth opportunities within the organisation, reducing turnover and keeping talent engaged.
  • Skill Development: By moving employees into new roles, crossboarding encourages skill development and broadens employees' experiences, making them more versatile and valuable to the company.
  • Faster Adaptation: Since crossboarding involves internal talent, employees are already familiar with the company culture and policies, which speeds up their adjustment to the new role compared to external hires.
  • Cost Efficiency: Promoting or transferring existing employees into new roles reduces recruitment and training costs associated with hiring externally.
  • Career Progression: Offering crossboarding opportunities demonstrates a company’s commitment to employee development, creating a more motivated and loyal workforce.
  • Succession Planning: Crossboarding can be part of an organisation’s succession planning strategy, helping develop leaders from within and ensuring business continuity by building a strong internal talent pipeline.