Building a Culture of Growth: How “Squiggly Careers” Strengthen Engagement

  • 28 min

Building a Culture of Growth: How “Squiggly Careers” Strengthen Engagement

Culture Over Coffee

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Career development shouldn’t be a checklist. It should be a catalyst. 

In this episode of Culture Over Coffee, Beth sits down with Deb Kuhn, who leads Career Development and Programs at TransUnion, to explore how growth pathways can transform company culture from the inside out. 

Deb shares incredible insights, including:

• Why TransUnion replaced rigid career ladders with “squiggly careers,” helping employees explore lateral moves, expand responsibilities, and grow in place.
• How focusing on transferable skills (what she calls “superpowers”) creates a culture where people feel valued for their unique strengths, not just their titles.
• Why career development must stay top of mind to drive engagement and how even simple manager conversations can reignite motivation and ownership.

Top Takeaways

• Career development should be dynamic, not linear. TransUnion’s “squiggly careers” approach empowers employees to explore growth in all directions (not just upward).

• Focus on transferable skills (“superpowers”). By helping employees identify and use their unique strengths, TransUnion fosters engagement and innovation.

• Managers play a critical role. Regular, honest conversations about career energy (“the gas gauge”) keep growth visible and motivation high.

• Culture drives retention. TransUnion’s low turnover (8%) reflects its belief that happy employees lead to happy customers.

• Keep career growth top of mind. Regular initiatives like “Career Clinics” and “Career Weeks” ensure employees never lose sight of their development opportunities.

From Career Ladders to “Squiggly Careers”

Deb explains how TransUnion has moved away from rigid, linear career ladders. Instead, the company embraces the idea of “squiggly careers” (a concept popularized by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis) where growth can mean moving laterally, expanding responsibilities, or “growing in place.”

Rather than focusing solely on promotions, employees are encouraged to ask:

• How do I want to grow and develop?

• What new responsibilities excite me?

• How can I apply my skills in new ways?

This flexible mindset has paid off. Around 28% of TransUnion’s global roles are filled internally, a sign that employees are actively developing within the organization.

Superpowers: Focusing on Transferable Skills

At the heart of TransUnion’s approach is the idea of “superpowers.” These are transferable skills (both technical and soft) that help employees succeed across teams and roles.

By recognizing employees for their superpowers instead of their titles, TransUnion cultivates a culture where everyone feels valued for their unique contributions.

Culture First: Retention and Engagement at TransUnion

According to Kuhn, TransUnion’s impressive 8% turnover rate (well below industry averages) comes from putting people first. The company treats its associates (not its customers) as its most important asset.

Core values like “I own it”, “I make a difference”, and “I think like a customer” are embedded into the employee experience. These beliefs shape how individuals see their work and their future.

TransUnion’s quarterly Career Clinics and engagement surveys provide ongoing opportunities for feedback and growth. One recent initiative drew 8,000 attendees from a global workforce of 14,000, a testament to how deeply employees value career conversations.

When Growth Feels Stuck

So what happens when employees don’t see a clear path forward?

Kuhn likens it to a video game: growth should always offer a new challenge. If the game stops getting harder, players get bored. The same is true for work.

She advises managers to:

• Recognize the fine line between mastery and boredom

• Ask employees about their career “gas gauge”

• Explore what could move that gauge from “half full” to “full”

These conversations keep engagement alive and prevent stagnation.

The Power of Reflection and Ownership

Kuhn encourages employees to step back from daily tasks (like stepping away from a Monet painting) to see the bigger picture of their careers. Reflection helps them identify patterns, strengths, and opportunities.

Her coaching framework simplifies career planning into three key questions:

1. Who are you? (What are your skills, personality traits, and strengths?)

2. What do you want? (What motivates and fulfills you?)

3. How will you get there? (What steps or support will help you grow?)

Career development, she says, doesn’t have to be a mystery. It just needs reflection, ownership, and open conversation.

Aligning Individual Growth with Organizational Goals

Not everyone defines success the same way. Some employees want to lead teams, while others want to master their craft. Kuhn stresses that organizations must honor both paths.

By encouraging employees to define their own version of success (and connect it to the company’s purpose) TransUnion helps people find meaning and momentum in their roles.

Every person contributes differently, she notes: “If we all had the same job, each of us would still execute it in a unique way because of our individual gifts.”

Keeping Career Development Top of Mind

Career growth can easily fade into the background of daily work. To counter that, TransUnion keeps it visible, emotional, and consistent through:

• Career Weeks and quarterly clinics

• Transparent discussions about promotion criteria

• Simple reflection tools in mid-year reviews

• Education around career ownership

The goal: make development part of everyday culture, not a once-a-year task.

Final Thoughts

As Kuhn puts it, “Career development shouldn’t be a checklist... it should be a catalyst.”

When employees see personalized pathways forward (even “squiggly” ones) engagement deepens, trust strengthens, and culture flourishes.

FAQ: Career Development and Culture

Q1: What are “squiggly careers”?
A: “Squiggly careers” describe non-linear growth paths where employees move laterally, expand responsibilities, or grow in place (rather than only climbing upward).

Q2: How can managers support career growth?
A: By having regular, transparent conversations about engagement (“the gas gauge”), providing feedback, and creating opportunities for new challenges and learning.

Q3: Why is career development so vital to company culture?
A: Because it directly impacts engagement and retention. When employees feel ownership over their growth, they’re more likely to stay, perform, and contribute to a thriving workplace.