Internal Mobility Survey: How Employees Really Experience Career Opportunities Inside Your Company

Over 60% of employees say they have never even seen an internal job posting at their company. This gap between what HR thinks is visible and what employees actually experience is where many internal mobility strategies fail.

If you rely only on hard mobility KPIs, you see moves and vacancies, but you miss trust, fear, and confusion. An internal mobility survey closes that gap. It shows how people really experience internal career opportunities and what stops them from moving.

In this article, you will:

See why perception data is as critical as internal mobility KPIs
Get 7 core dimensions every internal mobility survey should measure
Use ready-made questions and survey blueprints you can copy
Understand how to run such surveys in a DACH/EU setting with works councils and GDPR
Translate survey insights into concrete, skill-based talent actions

Let’s break down how to build an internal mobility survey that uncovers what is truly blocking your people from moving up, across, and into new roles inside your company.

1. Internal mobility: why perception matters as much as KPIs

Internal mobility is often reported as a clean number: % of roles filled internally, number of transfers, time in role. These metrics matter. But they do not tell you if employees believe they have a fair chance to move.

Studies show this gap clearly. Only 28% of employees feel confident their company supports their internal career development, according to Gartner research. At the same time, many HR dashboards show “healthy” internal fill rates.

So what is missing? Perception.

An internal mobility survey gives you three things your KPIs alone cannot provide:

Awareness: Do people know where to find internal jobs?
Trust: Do they believe the process is fair and transparent?
Safety: Do they feel safe to apply without harming their current role?

Consider this real-world style example. A global manufacturing company filled 35% of vacancies internally. On paper, this looked strong. But their first internal mobility survey showed that non-management staff felt excluded. They did not receive job posting emails, and supervisors discouraged transfers to avoid losing workers. Engagement scores for this group were low, even though the company proudly shared its mobility KPIs with the board.

When you combine quantitative mobility data with an internal mobility survey, you create a full picture: not just what is happening, but why employees act the way they do.

Metric type	What it shows	What it misses
Internal moves (% of roles filled internally)	Number and rate of transfers	Awareness of opportunities, perceived access
Retention rate	Who stays in the company	Whether they stay because of real opportunity or lack of options
Internal mobility survey results	Perceived fairness, visibility, trust, safety	Objective volume of moves (needs KPI pairing)

To turn internal mobility into a strategic advantage, HR teams are increasingly connecting survey insights to decisions about internal talent marketplaces, internal job boards, and broader talent management platforms. The survey becomes a front-end diagnostic that shows what kind of technology and process changes are actually needed.

So what exactly should you measure with an internal mobility survey?

2. The seven core dimensions your internal mobility survey must cover

A strong internal mobility survey goes beyond “Are you satisfied with your career opportunities?” It uncovers where the employee journey supports or blocks growth. For most companies, 7 dimensions give a complete but still practical view.

2.1 Visibility of roles and information

Core question: Do employees know what roles exist and where to find them?

Many internal career opportunities surveys reveal that staff do not know about the internal job board, talent marketplace, or even informal opportunities. This is especially true for non-desk and frontline roles.

Key angles to measure:

Awareness of internal job posting channels
Clarity of job descriptions and requirements
Timeliness of communication on new roles

2.2 Fairness and access

Core question: Do employees believe everyone has a fair shot?

Bersin research indicates that high-performing organizations are 2.5x more likely to track perceived fairness in promotions and career moves. Perceived unfairness is a strong predictor of disengagement and attrition.

Key angles to measure:

Perceived equal access across age, gender, location, contract type
Transparency of selection criteria
Experience with “hidden” roles or pre-selected candidates

2.3 Manager and HR support

Core question: Are managers and HR enabling or blocking internal moves?

Many European companies have formal mobility policies that encourage internal hires, but managers fear losing strong performers. Your internal career opportunities survey should surface how this plays out in daily practice.

Key angles to measure:

Frequency and quality of career conversations
Manager support when employees show interest in other roles
HR responsiveness and guidance during internal applications

2.4 Skills, readiness, and matching

Core question: Do employees understand what skills they need, and do they feel ready?

Modern talent strategies focus on skills, not just titles. If employees do not know how their skills map to internal jobs, they often do not even try. Linking your internal mobility survey to your skill management approach is crucial.

Key angles to measure:

Clarity on skills required for target roles
Availability of development resources to close gaps
Perception of fair, skill-based selection vs “who you know”

2.5 Experience of internal moves

Core question: How do employees who already moved internally describe the process?

For them, an internal mobility survey can go deeper. You want to know whether their real experience matches your policy. This group is a goldmine of insight for your talent management and internal talent marketplace improvements.

Key angles to measure:

Application and selection experience
Onboarding into the new role
Support from former and new managers
Impact on engagement and performance after the move

2.6 Culture and psychological safety

Core question: Does the culture allow people to explore internal paths without fear?

In many DACH companies, employees worry that talking about internal moves will be seen as disloyal. Your internal mobility survey should measure this fear directly.

Key angles to measure:

Comfort discussing career goals with managers
Fear of negative consequences when applying internally
Perception of internal mobility as normal vs risky

2.7 Intent to stay if internal options improve

Core question: Would better internal career paths actually keep people longer?

This closes the loop between engagement and retention. It gives you a powerful message for leadership: “If we improve visibility and fairness, X% of at-risk employees say they would stay.”

Key angles to measure:

Likelihood to look for an internal role vs external job
Impact of improved internal opportunities on intent to stay
Groups with high risk but high “save potential” via internal moves

Survey dimension	Sample statement	Why it matters
Visibility	“I am aware of where to find internal job postings.”	Drives volume of internal applications
Fairness & access	“Everyone here has equal access to internal opportunities.”	Strong link to engagement and trust
Manager support	“My manager supports me when I explore internal roles.”	Key driver of activation, especially in DACH cultures
Skills & readiness	“I understand the skills needed for roles I am interested in.”	Connects to skill management and learning strategy
Psychological safety	“I feel safe applying for internal roles without negative impact.”	Explains hidden resistance to mobility

With these 7 dimensions defined, the next step is to design precise internal mobility survey questions that capture them for different audiences.

3. Crafting effective internal mobility survey questions

Good internal mobility survey questions are clear, specific, and behavior-oriented. You want a mix of Likert-scale items for quantifiable trends and open questions for context.

Surveys that combine closed and open questions can reach response rates up to 40% higher than single-format surveys, according to research from Mercer. That mix also helps you explain “why” behind your scores.

3.1 Example Likert-scale questions (10–15 statements)

You can use a 5-point scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) for most items. Here are examples you can drop into an internal mobility survey template:

I know where to find current internal job postings.
Information about internal roles is clear and easy to understand.
Everyone in our company has equal access to internal career opportunities.
I trust that internal selection decisions are based on skills and qualifications.
My manager talks with me about my career goals on a regular basis.
My manager would support me if I applied for an internal role.
I understand which skills I need to develop to move into roles that interest me.
I have access to learning or development options that prepare me for internal moves.
I feel safe exploring internal opportunities without negative consequences for my current role.
I believe our company encourages internal moves across teams and departments.
Internal moves are handled in a professional and respectful way.
(For employees who have moved internally) My internal move had a positive impact on my engagement and motivation.
(For employees who have moved internally) I received enough support during the transition into my new role.
If internal career options were clearer and easier to access, I would be more likely to stay with this company for the next 2–3 years.
I would recommend this company to others as a place with good internal career opportunities.

3.2 Open questions for deeper insights (6–8 prompts)

Open questions are where you uncover concrete blockers and ideas. You do not need many. Focus on a few, tied to your 7 dimensions.

What would make you more likely to apply for an internal role in the next 12 months?
When you think about internal job postings, what works well today and what does not?
If you have chosen not to apply for an internal role in the past, what were your main reasons?
What could your manager or HR do differently to better support your internal career development?
(For employees who moved internally) What was the most positive part of your internal move experience?
(For employees who moved internally) What was the most challenging part of your internal move experience, and how could we improve it?
What concerns or fears, if any, do you have about applying for internal roles?
Is there anything else you would like to share about internal career opportunities in our company?

3.3 Adapting questions for different segments

The same internal mobility survey cannot use identical wording for every audience. At minimum, differentiate three groups: all employees, those who have moved internally, and managers.

For all employees, focus on awareness, fairness, and intent:

“I know how to find information about internal career opportunities.”
“I would consider applying for an internal role in the next 12 months.”

For employees who have moved internally in the last 12–24 months, dig into experience and outcome:

“My internal move was handled transparently and fairly.”
“Looking back, I would choose to make this internal move again.”

For managers, measure their role in enabling internal mobility:

“I feel responsible for supporting my team members’ internal career development.”
“I know where to find guidance and policies on internal hiring and transfers.”
“I feel comfortable when team members express interest in roles in other teams.”

Audience	Sample Likert statement	Sample open question
All employees	“Internal job opportunities are easy to find.”	“What stops you, if anything, from applying for internal roles?”
Recent internal movers	“I felt well supported during my internal move.”	“What part of your internal move experience should we improve?”
Managers	“I know how to guide team members on internal career options.”	“Where do you need more support to manage internal moves effectively?”

These question sets link directly to broader career framework work and internal talent marketplace or talent management software decisions. If your survey shows low clarity on skills and roles, you know your next focus is a more robust skill framework and better internal job posting standards.

4. Survey blueprints: annual, launch pulse, and move follow-up

Not every internal mobility survey needs to be large. It is more effective to combine one broader annual survey with targeted pulse and follow-up formats. Here are three practical blueprints.

4.1 Annual internal mobility & career opportunities survey

Purpose: Capture a full view of internal career perceptions across the entire organization once per year.

Audience: All employees, with tailored blocks for recent internal movers and managers.

Core elements:

15–20 Likert items across the 7 dimensions
4–6 open questions for qualitative insights
Demographics that support analysis but respect anonymity (location, function, level, tenure)

Example structure:

Section 1: Visibility and communication of internal roles (all employees)
Section 2: Fairness, access, and psychological safety (all employees)
Section 3: Manager and HR support (all employees + specific manager block)
Section 4: Skills, readiness, and development options (all employees)
Section 5: Experience of internal moves (shown only if employee reports an internal move in last 24 months)
Section 6: Intent to stay and future internal mobility plans

4.2 Pulse survey after launching an internal job board or marketplace

Purpose: Test how employees experience a new internal job board, internal talent marketplace, or major change in internal job posting rules.

Timing: 4–8 weeks after launch; repeat 1–2 times in the first year.

Audience: All employees, optionally plus a small manager module.

Core elements (shorter than annual survey):

8–10 Likert items focused on visibility, user experience, and trust
2–3 open questions about barriers and improvement ideas

Sample focus questions:

“I understand how to use the new internal job board / marketplace.”
“The new system makes it easier for me to discover relevant internal roles.”
“What, if anything, is confusing or difficult about the new internal job posting process?”

4.3 Follow-up survey with employees who changed roles internally

Purpose: Understand long-term impact and quality of internal moves, and refine processes accordingly.

Timing: 6–24 months after an internal move (for example at 6 and 18 months).

Audience: Employees who have changed roles internally in the defined period; may include moves across departments, locations, or job families.

Core elements:

10–15 Likert items focused on process, onboarding, and outcome
3–4 open questions about best and worst parts of the move

Focus topics:

Clarity of expectations during the move
Transition support from former and new managers
Learning curve and skill fit in the new role
Impact on engagement, performance, and career outlook

Blueprint type	Audience	Typical timing	Approx. length
Annual internal mobility & career opportunities survey	All employees (plus segments)	Once per year	20–30 questions
Post-launch pulse survey (job board / marketplace)	All or targeted groups	4–8 weeks after launch, then again at 6–12 months	10–15 questions
Internal move follow-up survey	Employees with internal moves in last 12–24 months	6–24 months post-move	15–20 questions

These blueprints sit alongside your overall engagement survey and connect directly to topics like talent marketplace comparisons, employee engagement survey templates, and internal mobility software evaluations.

5. Running internal mobility surveys in DACH/EU contexts

In the DACH region and wider EU, you cannot treat an internal mobility survey like a quick, informal poll. Works council co-determination, GDPR, and strong employee expectations about privacy shape how you design and communicate everything.

5.1 Works council alignment

In many German, Austrian, and Swiss organizations, over 70% of employee perception surveys require works council approval, according to data referenced by Statista. Internal mobility topics can feel sensitive, as they relate to career decisions and manager behavior.

Good practice:

Involve the works council early during survey design, not just at sign-off.
Share survey goals clearly: improving transparency and access, not evaluating individual performance.
Co-create FAQ and communication texts with works council representatives.

This joint approach often improves participation, because employees see the survey as supported by their representatives.

5.2 Sampling and anonymity thresholds

Even with good intent, poorly designed reporting can expose individuals or small groups. This is especially risky when you analyze internal mobility survey results across small teams or rare roles.

Key principles:

Set a minimum group size (for example ≥5 or ≥7 respondents) for any cut of data.
Suppress or aggregate results for smaller groups (for instance combine small teams into one function-level category).
Avoid reporting verbatim comments at team level; instead, group comments by theme at organization-wide or function level.

These rules should be explicit in your survey governance, and ideally agreed with the works council and data protection office.

5.3 GDPR-aligned data handling

Internal mobility survey data may include opinions about managers, intentions to leave, and career plans. Under GDPR, this is personal data and needs careful handling.

Practical steps:

Explain in the survey invite how data will be used, who sees what, and on what legal basis you process it.
Limit access to raw data to a small, authorized HR analytics or people insights team.
Set clear data retention periods (for example 12–24 months) and automatic deletion routines.
Use aggregated, anonymized reporting for all leaders and works council communications.

For detailed legal background, you can refer to official resources such as the GDPR portal and your national data protection authority.

5.4 Communication: purpose and trust

Many internal mobility surveys fail because employees do not trust the purpose. They worry their answers could harm their current role or manager relationships.

Effective communication in DACH/EU contexts means:

Positioning the survey as a tool to improve transparency and fairness of internal opportunities.
Clearly stating that individual results are not shared with managers.
Explaining anonymity rules and minimum group sizes upfront.
Sharing a clear timeline of what will happen after the survey (analysis, feedback, actions).

When employees see that previous surveys led to real changes in internal job posting processes, manager training, or career frameworks, they are much more willing to give honest feedback the next time.

6. Turning insights into action: from data to real change

An internal mobility survey only matters if it changes how you design internal career paths, communicate roles, and support managers and employees. The most effective HR teams create simple “if–then” rules that link survey signals directly to actions.

6.1 Typical insight patterns and responses

Here are common patterns you might see and how to respond.

If survey shows...	Then HR and leaders should...
Low awareness of internal job postings and career paths	Redesign communication: promote the internal job board more visibly, integrate links into onboarding, intranet, and manager one-to-ones; standardize internal job posting quality.
Perceived unfairness or “closed” processes	Clarify and publish internal hiring and promotion criteria; train hiring managers; ensure all roles above a threshold are posted internally for a minimum period.
Managers rarely discuss careers or discourage internal moves	Introduce manager training on career conversations; include support for internal mobility as a leadership expectation and part of performance dialogues.
Employees unsure which skills they need for target roles	Develop or refine a skills framework; add skill profiles to internal job postings; provide self-assessment and learning recommendations aligned to internal roles.
Internal movers report poor onboarding and confusion	Define a standard internal move process with handover checklists, buddy systems, and clear role expectations; involve both sending and receiving managers.
High intent to stay if internal options improve	Prioritize investments in internal talent marketplace tools, structured career paths, and proactive internal sourcing to retain at-risk talent.

6.2 Linking survey results to internal talent and skill strategies

Internal mobility surveys are not stand-alone. They inform choices about:

Which internal mobility software or internal talent marketplace model fits your culture and readiness.
How detailed your career framework needs to be for different job families.
Where to focus skill management and learning investments.
Which groups (for example high-skill specialists, frontline teams, young professionals) need targeted mobility initiatives.

For example, if you see that technical staff trust the fairness of processes but lack clarity on skills and paths, then a skills-based matching engine and rich internal role profiles may add more value than another communication campaign. If frontline workers say they never hear about internal jobs in time, you likely need simpler, mobile- and messaging-based access to internal job postings.

6.3 Building an internal mobility action plan

After each internal mobility survey, create a concise action plan. It does not need to be complex. Focus on 3–5 actions with clear ownership.

Translate 3–4 major insights into specific measures with deadlines.
Assign owners (for example HRBP, Learning, line leaders, IT).
Define simple success indicators (for instance increase in internal applications, uplift in key survey items, reduced external hiring for selected roles).
Plan follow-up pulse surveys to check progress after 6–12 months.
Communicate actions and early wins to employees to keep trust high.

Done well, your internal mobility survey becomes part of a broader talent management loop: diagnose, act, measure, refine. Over time, this loop supports more strategic decisions about career frameworks, skill management, and potential pilots with internal mobility or internal talent marketplace tools that fit your context.

Conclusion: honest employee feedback is your fastest path to better internal mobility

Three points stand out.

First, an internal mobility survey reveals what your KPIs hide: whether employees can see, trust, and safely access internal career options. Without this perception data, even good internal fill rates can mask frustration and missed potential.

Second, a structured approach makes the work manageable. Focus on 7 dimensions: visibility, fairness, manager and HR support, skills and readiness, experience of moves, culture and psychological safety, and intent to stay. Combine an annual internal mobility and career opportunities survey with targeted pulses and follow-ups for movers. In DACH/EU, bring works councils and data protection into the process from the start.

Third, the value lies in what you do after the survey. Translate insights into concrete steps: clearer internal job postings, better communication, manager training on career conversations, and skill-based matching. Use simple if–then patterns so leaders see the link between feedback and action.

As skills needs shift and hiring costs rise, organizations that understand and improve how employees experience internal careers will protect retention, unlock hidden talent, and build a more resilient workforce. Listening carefully through an internal mobility survey is one of the most powerful starting points.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is an internal mobility survey and why does it matter?

An internal mobility survey is a focused employee survey that asks about experiences and perceptions of career opportunities within your organization. It goes beyond counting internal transfers. It uncovers whether people can see internal roles, trust the selection process, and feel safe to apply. This gives you the “why” behind mobility KPIs and helps you design better career paths, internal job posting processes, and talent initiatives.

2. How do I design effective questions for an internal job posting survey?

Start with clear, behavior-based Likert statements such as “I know where to find open internal positions” and “Internal job postings contain all information I need to decide whether to apply.” Combine these with a few open questions like “What would help you feel more confident applying for internal roles?” Adapt wording for different groups: general staff, recent internal movers, and managers. Keep the length realistic so employees can complete it in 10–15 minutes.

3. Why is works council involvement important when running an employee perception survey in Germany?

Works councils in Germany and much of the DACH region represent employees’ interests, including around data protection and workplace surveys. Many organizations must seek works council approval for surveys that touch on attitudes, behavior, or career topics. Early involvement builds legal security and trust. When employees see that the works council supports an internal mobility survey and has checked anonymity rules, they are more likely to answer honestly.

4. What actions should HR take after analyzing results from an internal career opportunities survey?

Turn key insights into a short, concrete action plan. Examples include improving internal job posting quality and reach, clarifying selection criteria, training managers on career conversations, and strengthening skill-based development paths. Communicate the main findings and planned actions to all employees, then follow up with pulse surveys to track progress. Visible action builds credibility and supports future internal mobility surveys.

5. How can I ensure my internal mobility data collection complies with GDPR?

To stay aligned with GDPR, treat internal mobility survey responses as personal data. Use aggregated reporting so individuals cannot be identified. Set minimum group sizes for any segmentation, define clear retention periods for raw data, and restrict access to a small HR analytics team. Inform employees about the purpose, legal basis, data access, and retention. For legal specifics, consult your data protection officer and official resources such as the GDPR information portal.

Jürgen Ulbrich

CEO & Co-Founder of Sprad

Jürgen Ulbrich has more than a decade of experience in developing and leading high-performing teams and companies. As an expert in employee referral programs as well as feedback and performance processes, Jürgen has helped over 100 organizations optimize their talent acquisition and development strategies.