No longer about climbing the career ladder
There is a growing trend towards horizontal careers, where people focus on gaining knowledge and experience in different areas of expertise rather than higher positions, says Leila Medvey, a K
![Medvey Leila KH Bank-](/hrpimages/159513/medvey_leila-900.webp)
For decades, a career has been about climbing the ladder - that is, moving up from entry-level to managerial and then to executive level, regardless of the field or industry in which you work. But this has changed radically. While there are still those for whom promotion to a higher position is the key to success, there are an increasing number of workers who are building a horizontal career, i.e. a career that spans disciplines. In fact, it is also about progression, but while a traditional linear career is about acquiring deeper knowledge or leadership skills in a particular field, a horizontal career is about learning a new discipline, department or field of activity.
Helps companies respond quickly
Of course, it's no wonder that not everyone is clear about what horizontal learning means, as it wasn't very popular in the past to try your hand at several fields. But just as stability and the ability to respond quickly to change have become important in an economic environment, companies are increasingly seeing the value of having a broad range of knowledge in their workforce. This enables them to react and change quickly, which is what the market now demands. Moreover, after several years in the job, employees may change their needs, get to know themselves better and realise that a different field is a better fit for them.
As a result, it is easier for employees to respond quickly and quickly to new challenges.
"A horizontal career is a real win-win situation for employees and companies, which is why we at K