How to Get Promoted Quickly: A Guide For Professionals

Want to know how to get promoted quickly? Well you have come to the right place. So without further ado let’s jump to that. We are going to talk about everything there is to know about this promotion cycle.

First, promotion refers to the process when there is the upward move of an employee towards a new or higher job role with the increase in job tasks, roles and responsibilities, in accordance with higher designation, along with the increment in the salary and pay package.

There are also additional employee benefits and perks, facilities, privileges provided to the employees with greater authority for their capabilities and potentiality, progress, creativity, stability, enthusiasm, dedication, sincerity, motivation, performance, commitment and fulfillment towards the attainment of the company’s goals and success.

Hence when the employee gets the promotion in their organization, that inspires, encourages, motivates the employees and the employees are focused more upon their new assigned job roles, so that the outcome is the better performance and better productivity, in their new additional assigned job role.

Therefore, it is the advancement of the employee in terms of greater responsibilities, involving high prestige and status and high rank, high salary, greater authority, in accordance with the required greater skills and talent of the employees.

As a consequence the promotion should be given to those employees by the employers who are prepared and have the required potentiality and talent to take up new job role. As such, a high and a brilliant performer can be rewarded and not to be promoted.

It has been observed that sometimes the organizations rewards the high performers by promoting them, without understanding their capabilities and potentialities that whether such employees would be able to take up and work upon the new job profile.

So it is advised when the employer decides about employee promotion, the employers should be analyzing, judging and assessing the competencies, potentialities of the employees through a series of activities, in order to understand whether there is a gap in the present level of employee’s performance and expected level of performance that is required in the new job role, so that there is no future discrepancies.

For example, sales executive is performing well in his assigned task, when promoted to a team handling profile with greater responsibilities, he may or may not be good at the team handling or leadership roles and responsibilities, which can result to a wrong decision of the organization, if such employees are being promoted.

Promotion is a critical stage in the Employee Life Cycle as well as for the companies too. Hence, it is essential to determine the right, suitable and desirable employee for the promotion. Creativity, Capability and Potentiality to add up more work responsibilities and to deliver good performance in the present job role, are the two different things.

It has been observed; often the organizations misunderstand the Performance and Potentiality of the employees. Both “Performance “and “Potentiality” may sound similar, but they should be assessed differently.

Promotion is the reward for Employee’s Dedication, Employee’s Potentiality, Employee’s Work Success, Employee’s engagement and loyalty towards the organization.

Table of Contents

OBJECTIVES/PURPOSES OF PROMOTION:

Acknowledging, Recognizing and Rewarding the efficiency and productivity of the employee.
Attracting and the retaining the services of the qualified, competent, expertise, specialized employees.
Increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, ability of the employees and the organization.
Encouraging, inspiring, and motivating the employees so that the output of their work results into higher productivity.
Filling up the vacancies within the organization through internal sourcing, that means closing the vacant positions, internally.
Every opportunity would be accessible to the employees, provided if the employee can perform well, in the organization.
Developing morale, loyalty, sense of belongingness amongst the employees in the organization, which would make the employee much more loyal towards their organization.
Making the employees more responsible towards their KRA’s and KPI indicators.
Increasing the consciousness amongst every employee in the organization, because the employees focus consistently upon their performance for getting promotion.
Developing potentiality as promotion encourages the employees to highlight their creativity and innovation and excel well in their job.
Ensuring rapid performance of the employees when the employees think that it is their own job, in spite of thinking that it is company’s job. Therefore, it is only possible through the process of promotion.
Keeping a balance between the work of the employees and their feedback.
Offering Training and Development and Mentoring with every possible guideline that is required for going ahead in the new job role.
Improving Job Satisfaction that drive and excel them to do better in their assigned role.
Ensuring that the employees are making best utilization of their skill set.
Promoting employees pro activeness and their career plans.

BENEFITS OF PROMOTING EMPLOYEES:

The talent of the employees gets retained, resulting into the reduction in the attrition level of the employees.
Saves the money of the organization and making it cost efficient , when the job vacancies gets filled up , internally through promotion, rather than hiring the people from outside ,as internal cost of recruitment is sometimes zero or it is much lesser as compared to the external sources of recruitment.
Boosting productivity and motivation of the employees as promotion inspires, encourages the employees to deliver better productivity.
Investing in the career perspectives and career growth of the employee as they would gain in their work expertise, knowledge, experience and can progress in their career development.
Creating Employee Ambassadors, because when the employee loves their job roles and feel the importance of organizational culture, work atmosphere, they share their super experiences with their friends, family and people within their network.
Employee’s satisfaction and expectation gets fulfilled through employee promotion which is one of the main objectives, purposes, goals of the employees to work hard and to deliver best performance, consistently.
Employees Promotion gives rise to their new job roles and responsibilities that would initiate them to learn as in, how to manage their new job role and to get it done, within the time frame/ time boundation, assigned to them by the employer. This process is known as” Sense of Management “.
Facilitating Rewards and Recognition program for the employees, which would give complete employee satisfaction.

TYPES OF EMPLOYEE PROMOTION:

HORIZONTAL PROMOTION: Rewarding the employee with the increase in their pay package, but there is no change in the Job roles and responsibilities of the employee. It can also be termed as up-gradation of the employee.

For example : In a management college, a lecturer can be promoted to Senior Lecturer.

VERTICAL PROMOTON: This process refers to the upward move of the employees from their present position to their high position or to a new job profile with a change in the salary, work responsibilities, benefits, status etc.

For example, The Marketing supervisor can be promoted to Marketing Manager.

DRY PROMOTION: This process refers to an increase in the tasks, job roles and responsibilities and status of the employee, without any benefits . It means there is no increase in the pay package, no financial benefits given to the employees.

For example, A Sales Manager can be promoted as Senior Sales Manager, in an organization.

OPEN AND CLOSED PROMOTION: Open Position is a situation where each and every employees of the organization is entitled and eligible for promotion. Closed Position is a situation where only selected employees /team members are entitled and eligible for promotion.

SENIORITY BASED PROMOTION: This process refers for the senior level employees who have spent a considerable good duration with the company in the same job role profile/ same designation for a longer period of time. This type of promotion helps the employees to move ahead, reduces the attrition level and increases the retention level.

For example, the Regional HR Manager is promoted to HRBP Position, Human Resource Business Partner Designation.

MERIT BASED PROMOTION: It should be solely done on the basis of employee knowledge, skills, talent, capability, potentiality and performance. It acts as a reward for the employees who deserve such merit based promotion .As such it is the best way, to enrich the organization’s value and to keep up the employee morale.

For example, The Front desk executive is promoted to Administrative Manager” in the organization, based upon her merit and performance.

SENIORITY BASED, MERIT BASED PROMOTION: This is been considered as the most appropriate strategy for employee promotion which considers the merits of the employees as well as the tenure of the employee with the organization , both the factors simultaneously, while evaluating and deciding for Promotion.

Therefore, there are various opinions and debates upon Merit Based Promotion and Seniority Based Promotion. The Leadership and the Management have always taken their decision upon Merit based Promotion, while the labor and trade unions favor for Seniority Based Promotion.

CRITERIA FOR EMPLOYEE PROMOTION STRATEGY AT THE WORKPLACE:

All organizations have various different strategies for Employee Promotion. So the promotion strategies should be carefully processed at the workplace as it depends upon no of factors, apart from just performance.

LENGTH OF SERVICE: Employee should be spending a considerable amount of time in the organization so that the employee gets well accustomed with the working environment, work atmosphere, company policies and overall culture of the organization.
PERFORMANCE: Performance plays an essential and a crucial role, but it is not only the deciding factor for Promotion.
POTENTIAL : Employees capability and potentiality to take up higher job roles and responsibilities in their new job role, addition of some more task/ higher job role in their present job roles are significant in determining and deciding whether the employees should be promoted or not. Most of the organizations identify for high potential employees through “Assessment Centers” and “Psychometric Tests” and then accordingly recommend the suitable employees for promotion.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE: Sometimes it has been observed that the employee may deserve a promotion, but unless there is a vacancy for the new job role, in the hierarchy of the organization, then the employee promotion may not happen immediately. Highly structured organization those having an approved position and budget for the each and every role in the organizational hierarchy, unless and until there is a vacancy, the employee may not be able to succeed to the position. However for the new start up organizations, the structures are open and flexible and hence this particular factor should not be constraint.
TENURE IN A PARTICULAR ROLE/POSITION: The employee needs to justify in his/ her present job role, that means that the employees needs to deliver better,good, consistent performance in their present job responsibilities for a longer period of time .Accordingly the employer can decide for their promotion , if the employees can succeed in their present job roles for a longer period of time , else not.

ADVANTAGES OF PROMOTION:

Creating positivity in the work atmosphere, work environment, resulting in the improvement of employee’s morale, employees’ self-esteem, employee’s confidence.
New Perspective of a position given to a desirable employee who understands the business.
Quick filling up of the vacant positions through internal source at a zero cost or at a minimum cost.
Introducing and developing a competitive space amongst the colleagues and peers, across every employees of the organization, working at different hierarchical position.

DISADVANTAGES OF PROMOTION:

Missing the opportunity to hire someone from external source.
A seniority based position may develop a feeling in their mind that they may get promotion after every 2/3 yrs., even if they do not perform.

WHOM TO PROMOTE IN YOUR EMPLOYEE PROMOTION PHASE:

ROLE : Employees present job roles and responsibilities should be taken into consideration. It is being observed that sometimes the employee is working and performing more than their assigned job role, as such they are working and performing for the vacant job positions too. That means simultaneously they are working on other job roles, along with their own assigned job responsibilities. Such employees should get promotion.
APPRAISAL : The reporting heads must be looking into the last appraisal of the employees and if the employee’s last appraisal reflects a good feedback and the overall records of the employees from every perspectives such as employee communication skills, decision making skills, problem solving skills, learning and innovation skills, leadership skills, inter-personal skills, social skills, behavioral skills etc. reflects and delivers a good feedback and if such employees suitable for the ongoing promotion , such employees can be promoted.

If the employees, after working with the company for a longer duration, have not received any kind of promotion, then that would harm employee satisfaction and will give rise to employee attrition level.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: It is significant and essential for higher level designations. It is the process where the skill sets are required to communicate and connect with others, gently and politely. The managers, team leaders, supervisors should be having such skills so that they would be able to connect with their respective team members and would be able to lead their teams. Such employees should be promoted.
PERFROMANCE REVIEW: Performance reviews can take place through the process of 360 degree feedbacks, 180 degree feedbacks, 720 degree feedbacks, Assessment Centers, Management by Objectives, Confidential Report, Critical Incidence Method, etc. Accordingly, when the feedback highlights a brilliant performance, based upon the above processes, such employees are entitled and can be eligible for promotion.
COMPANY CULTURE: Promoting an employee leads to further investment for the company. Employee’s behavior and attitude towards their colleagues, reporting heads, management, subordinates, bosses etc. should be taken into consideration and must be assessed. It should also be analyzed and assessed, weather the employees are eligible to adopt entirely with the company culture, work ethics and the position or the designation that the job requires, if the employees fits well, then such employees are eligible and entitled for promotion for higher job role.

WHEN TO PROMOTE THE EMPLOYEES:

The employees are eligible and entitled for Promotion, when they meet up / fulfill certain parameters or criteria:

Employees consistently performing well, good performance in their work stability.
Employees embracing the company values, company terms conditions, policies, processes, rules and regulations.
Employees are interested and willing to take up additional and greater work responsibilities.
Updating and mastering new skills related to their position.
Employees consistently displaying emotional intelligence
Employees showing their eagerness, interest in developing new skills, required for their job roles.
Adopting informal mentoring roles for rest of the employees and across every employee in the company as and when needed, providing support to the every employees of the organization, whenever necessary.
Employees exceeding and fulfilling company’s expectations. That means when the employees exceed their assigned Job Roles and Responsibilities. Employees exceeding client expectations too.
Employees contribution in measurable terms for overall growth, success, productivity, effectiveness and efficiency etch of the organization.
Employees working in their present designation for a sufficient period of time.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR EARNING A PROMOTION:

Employees developing leadership skills that would lead and inspire their team members whenever a new opportunity comes up. The senior most members in an organization takes the input or the opinion from other employees whether to assign new job role to someone. If they see that someone in the company maintains positive, good strong relationships with everyone and having a good problem solving skills . Accordingly the senior management people may feel more comfortable in promoting that someone in the company.
Employees should be responsible and accountable too. Employees taking up greater responsibilities, making themselves available, dependable and trustworthy towards the organization. Employee’s responsibilities should also indicate that the employees are accountable for their daily performance. Employees should be completing their assigned task to the best of their knowledge, capability etc. Employees are entitled to accomplish their goals.
Employees building and developing every support for the starting and the completion of the new projects of the organization.
Employees making themselves accountable and responsible for taking up the ownership and execution of the business goals.

Employees developing a strategic vision by setting the long term goals and staying updated with the progress of every departments in the organization. Employees ensuring that their values are aligning with the company values that would ease the employee to work forward and to stay in the leadership roles.

Employees having a positive attitude by allowing the other employees to think more creatively and to come up with the better and best decisions. Employee building and promoting good and strong relationships with every employee would support professionally and emotionally in accordance with the success and profitability of the businesses.
Employees should be useful at their work premises and towards the co- workers. They would be taking up every initiative to improve company culture and also help their co-workers, finding out their strength and weaknesses and mentoring them, as and when required.
Employee should improve their communication with their team members, colleagues, subordinates, supervisors, top management, clients, immediate reporting head etc.
Employee observing the parameters/ criteria’s as in how other employee gets promoted and would induce the same in them so that they should also get the promotion soon.
Employee need to be good and super in their Job Roles and Responsibilities.
Employee should prove that he/she can develop all those skills and talent that are required to be competent in their job.
Employee should be easy to work with other employees in the organization and to build and maintain a very good strong relationship with every employee in the organization.
Promotion means getting a higher role or bigger role inside the organization. Employee’s contribution, work efforts, involvement with the organization should be to a greater extent so that the employer must have a feeling that the employee is worth enough, desirable to get the promotion.
Employee saying “ Yes “ when ample of opportunities are available to them so that the employee can expand, explore and excel more in their Job roles.
Employee to be a good listener
Employee to be purposeful with what they say and how they can say it.

HOW TO GET PROMOTED FASTER:

Employees should proceed with the proper planning as in how to accomplish the assigned job roles. A effective work plan contains employee aspirations and dreams and their course of action to achieve their work goals, in accordance with the specific time frame.
Employees taking the ownership of their own work from the beginning till the end.
Welcoming the feedback from the top management, immediate reporting head, colleagues and peers, subordinates, clients, self and based upon the given feedback, the employees should be proceeding for improvement, they should be taking up every imitativeness for continuous improvement and progress and development from every perspectives.
Employee taking the initiatives for the delivery of super and brilliant performance and also every initiative to help, guide, mentor other employees, whenever required.
Employee updating and polishing their leadership skills by strengthening their inter personal skills. Communication, empathy, active listening, trust should be the core areas.
Employees working well with others and building strong relationships across every employee from the junior level to the top management.
Employee investing in their progress and developments needed to carry out the job successfully through the process of research and development, leaving and innovation and creativity, continuous updating. Employees improving their skills with career development goals.
Employee tracks their achievements in order to keep the count of their success towards the organization.

TOP TECHNIQUES TO GET PROMOTED QUICKLY AT WORK:

Following basic rules at work to get promoted quickly:

PUNTUALITY: Employee should arrive on time, always and all throughout during their tenure with the organization.
WORK ETIQUETTE: Employee dressing properly and behave professionally.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Employee to be positive and confident that should increase their productivity. They should maintain good personality.
STAYING ORGANISED: Employee keeping a track of their work which should be in progress and keeping their work area clean.
GOAL ORIENTED: Employee to be aware of their schedules, targets and deadlines.
HARD WORK: Employee should be working hard so that their every effort should give rise to success.

PUTTING THE INTEREST OF YOUR ORGANISATION BEFORE YOUR OWN INTEREST :

Employee should listen carefully to their boss to understand their priorities.
Employee should do what their reporting manager wants them to do, not what they can do or love to do.
Employee acting as a team player and must continue with the sequence of the work, as per the work urgency.
Employee developing problem solving skills to solve the problems as and when it is taking place, thereby providing solution to the problem.
Employees are empathetic towards every employees
Employees should work as per the instructions and the guidelines, likings and the priorities set by their reporting heads.
Employees should pretend to like their boss, even if they do not like.

EMPLOYEES DEALING POSITIVILY WITH THE POLICIES IN YOUR ORGANISATION.

Employee should stop doing the work of the others, at the cost of their own project.
Employee learning the art of selling themselves to get acknowledged recognized and rewarded for their work performance.
Employee learning the act of communicating and connecting with every employee across the organization so that the boss finds that the employees are willing to take up new responsibilities.
Employee should be ready to take up every opportunity.
Employee should be approaching to the management and be eager and willing to take up new challenges.
Employee sticking to their competencies, and staying positive in their approach.

Furthermore,

Employees should be compassionate towards their co-workers. .
Employees staying updated about the macro environment to get promoted quickly by establishing themselves as a thoughtful leader of their organization.
Employees should always be trustworthy.
Employee should be attentive in their interactions and same time should be allowing others to exchange their view points, opinion, ideas , suggestions and recommendations,
Employee showing their commitment to the principles and goals that are larger than their own self-interest.
Employee maintains a balance between what they work for and what they contribute to the people they work with.
Employee maintaining a balance between pushing towards a work goals and welcoming new ideas, opinions, viewpoints that may improve the process for reaching out the goal.