To fill vacancies, hiring managers generally have two options, hiring someone externally or promoting from within. While there are pros and cons of each, there are many benefits to filling that role with a current employee, including these.

Save Time and Money

The Society for Human Resource Management reports that the time to hire has been increasing significantly over the past decade or so. By promoting from within, you’ll get someone in the role much quicker and at a much lower price tag. The cost of filling a vacant position is tied to time – it increases every day it goes unfilled, not to mention there may be existing employees who have to cover the duties of that position, sacrificing their time and productivity too. The time it takes to onboard and train a brand new employee also adds to the overall cost.

While having an applicant tracking system (ATS) will help streamline the process, when you look within your organization to hire, you’ll save significantly on both time and money.

It Provides Motivation

When you promote from within, your employees will know that there are opportunities for career development which helps keep them motivated to work harder, encouraging them to do their best. It creates an atmosphere of optimism that tends to have a positive effect on the entire team, and, ultimately, the entire company. Hiring externally when there may be someone already there who is perfect for the role can have the opposite effect, sapping motivation.

Employee Retention

Not only does promoting from within help to create a more positive environment with employees motivated to work harder, but it can also improve employee retention. People will see that there are opportunities for career growth and will be less likely to look elsewhere. In fact, surveys have found that the most commonly cited reason for leaving a job other than pay is a lack of career growth.

You Already Know the Employee is a Good Cultural Fit

While skills and experience are important, a good cultural fit is also a key piece of the puzzle. When hiring a brand-new employee, their resume may be perfect, but it’s difficult to know whether or not they’ll fit in with the company’s culture. Perhaps they won’t be able to keep up with the fast pace, or worse, have anger issues that make them a loose cannon, creating tension that harms the work environment. When promoting from within, you’ll avoid the friction that comes with having to ramp up someone from the outside instead of bringing in an employee who already embodies the organization’s DNA.

You’ll Bolster Your Company’s Reputation

A great company image will attract the very best talent as the best applicants will do their research on companies before making any commitment. If your organization is known for rewarding employees for their long-term dedication, it not only improves morale, but it will bolster your reputation to keep you competitive in the job market when you’re truly in need of a new hire from the outside.