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Definition : Mobility of labour refers to the ease with which workers are able to move from one
job to another within an economy and between different economies.
Occupational mobility
Occupational mobility of labour is the movement of workers from one occupation to another.
Human beings as dynamic socio-economic agents who continually seek for knowledge, develop
new skills and business methods that can warrant better job offers.
Horizontal mobility is the movement of labour from one occupation to another in the same grade
or level. This implies that a worker may have to perform similar tasks in his/her new job as they
were in his/her previous engagement. E.g From being a bank clerk to a law firm clerk.
Vertical labour mobility is the case of a worker of a lower grade and status in an occupation who
moves to another occupation in a higher grade and status. E.g a school teacher becomes a
university lecturer; an auditor becomes a bank Chief executive officer.
Education and training: The level of educational attainment usually determines the extent to
which one will consider switching jobs. In other words, mobility of labour depends on the
worker’s degree, extent of training and membership of professional institutions.
Social set-up: The social ties we build determine a number of our decisions. In a society where
joint family system is preponderance, less labour mobility takes place. On the contrary, in a
society where joint family system does not exist, labour mobility is high.
Trade : The development of business and trade leads to the spread of offices and institutions
related to them in different parts of the country and in other economies. As a result, workers
move from