October 15, 2024
October 15, 2024
Promotions in a company often evoke the same intense emotions as education systems in a country. For every employee happy with the promotion process, many others feel it's flawed.
The truth is, promotions are complex and vary across organizations, but certain challenges are nearly universal. This article explores these common challenges and offers solutions that could ease some of the frustrations employees encounter, even if complete satisfaction with promotions is impossible.
1. Inconsistent Assessment Frameworks : Promotions often lack a consistent evaluation framework across departments or regions. Two employees at the same level may be evaluated on entirely different criteria, leading to perceived unfairness. Though some companies have standardized processes for senior positions, consistency at all levels remains rare. As a result, employees may feel that promotion standards aren't uniformly applied.
2. Limited Promotion Opportunities: Ideally, promotion slots would be based on performance, but in reality, they're often influenced by last year’s numbers or budget constraints. Teams may find themselves stuck with limited or no flexibility, leading to situations where equally qualified candidates miss out purely due to the number of available roles.
3. Bias in Promotion Committees: Promotion committees, while necessary, can introduce bias. Often, committee members are more familiar with certain candidates than others, giving some an edge based on exposure rather than merit. This dynamic can lead to favoritism or inconsistent standards.
4. Organizational Shifts Derailing Promotions : Promotions at senior levels often require years of preparation. However, organizational changes beyond an employee’s control—such as restructuring—can disrupt the promotion process, derailing years of work without any system to safeguard their progress.
5. Reliance on Line Managers : The promotion process tends to rely heavily on line managers, which introduces variability. A qualified employee may miss out on a promotion if their manager isn't adept at navigating the process or rallying support from promotion committees.
6. Lack of Opportunities to Demonstrate Skills : Employees seeking promotion are often expected to prove they're already operating at the next level. However, they may not be given the opportunity to do so due to existing responsibilities or lack of platform to showcase their capabilities.
1. Skills Framework and Career Pathways: An ITM provides employees with a clear framework of the skills needed for different roles, allowing them to see multiple paths to their promotion. It can highlight skill gaps and provide resources like training and internal gigs to bridge those gaps, thus supplementing the support of line managers.
2. Internal Gigs to Develop Skills: Internal gigs offer employees the chance to gain experience in areas their current role doesn’t cover. By participating in these opportunities, employees can acquire new skills and connect with promotion committee members, reducing biases due to lack of exposure.
3. Expanding Employee Networks : With an ITM, employees can build a broader network across the company, helping them find opportunities for growth outside their current team. This expanded network can help them secure new platforms to showcase their readiness for promotion.
4. Democratizing Access to Mentors : An ITM can also democratize access to mentors, who can guide employees through the promotion process. Mentors can help candidates assess their readiness for promotion and provide support in navigating the often opaque process.
While no system can completely eliminate the frustrations surrounding promotions, an Internal Talent Marketplace can create new opportunities for development, networking, and growth—addressing many of the root causes of dissatisfaction.
