The 27-year old daughter of good friends of ours from New Jersey recently moved to Chicago to work for a non-profit organization. It was only her second real job since graduating college and was a great opportunity for her. It was an entry-level position working for a cause that was very important to her. The pay wasn't great but she quickly made fast friends with several of her peers. They spent quality time together outside of work. She also liked and respected her boss. She very much enjoyed coming to work every day.
One day everything changed. No, she wasn't fired. She was promoted. She had been there for only 6 months and her friends who had been with the organization much longer were resentful that they had not been the one to be promoted. She was now put in the awkward position of having to supervise her "friends." And now she reported directly to the Executive Director instead of her former boss. She was honored by the promotion and knew it was an important step in her career, but she was no longer happy at work. Dealing with the animosity of her peers was very difficult, and it was an adjustment getting used to her new boss. She felt lonely. Suddenly, coming to work was no longer fun.
THE PROBLEM
This is a common problem and poses difficulties for both the person who is promoted and those who are not.
The person who is promoted must now re-negotiate their relationships with their peers, former supervisor, and new supervisor. They must also establish a new identity within the organization including new colleagues, new goals, and a new perspective on their role in the organization.
For some, these challenges are welcomed and motivating, but for others they are just the opposite.
The employees who did not receive the promotion must now deal with their jealousy and adjust to the unpleasant fact that their future in the organization is not as rosy as they had once thought. Some will become angry and lose interest in their work. They may also seriously consider leaving the organization.
Needless to say, it is not healthy for the organization to be operating with employees who are de-motivated and looking to leave.
WHAT TO DO
- Make Certain You Promote
the Right People
3 out of 5 employees say their organization does not do a good job of promoting the most competent people. For some, these views are sour grapes because they were not promoted. Many, however, perceive that management plays favorites and does not base their promotion decisions on objective criteria. Make certain that promotion decisions in your organization are based on factors that have been well communicated in advance to all employees.
- Communicate the News
Carefully
Often employees learn about the promotion of a coworker through the grapevine or through an organization-wide formal announcement instead of directly from their manager. Managers should meet individually with those who are not promoted to tell them (if it is true) that they are still valued by the organization.
- Recognize the Difficulty
of the Transition for Those You Promote
Spend the time and effort to counsel those who are promoted. They will need help adjusting to their new boss, new responsibilities, and new role in the organization. They also will need help re-negotiating relationships with their former supervisor, peers, and direct reports.
- Consider Staying Flat
Are promotions really necessary in your organization? Many organizations remain flat to avoid the problems that often accompany promotions. Instead, they pay more to their most valuable employees. Pay increases are less public than promotions and often accomplish the same goal (i.e., rewarding good performers).
CONCLUSION
Promotions alter the self-created psychological reality of the workplace. For many, this is unsettling. If you are going to promote someone in your organization, recognize that you will need to deal with the stress experienced by both the person you promote and those you do not.