A Guide To Managing Employee Conflicts Around Promotion
Every employee should have their goals when it comes to self-development and promotion is one aim, which invariably means more responsibility and, of course, a higher salary. In a perfect world, there are no internal conflicts regarding promotion, but as we live in a far-from-ideal world, conflicts do arise.In this article, we offer a few best practices to manage employee conflicts over promotion.
- Develop the right culture – If your company prefers to promote from within, there will be more promotional openings, which means it is less likely that conflicts will arise. Diversify the number of employees that can apply for a position, which increases employee engagement and offers more employees the chance to rise within the ranks.
- Incorporate employee feedback – You should always give employees frequent opportunities to give you feedback, which is valuable and can help you create better guidelines. This is something HR consulting firms London businesses rely on can do.Their team would create a file for every employee and there would be monthly meetings (one on one) to discuss goals and aspirations for the future.
- The importance of transparency – When a position becomes available, this should be announced through all your selected communication channels, which ensures that all employees are aware. Important aspects to consider include how many internal candidates you are going to allow to apply for the position; whether a promotion would impact the current status quo, and how an internal promotion might affect the hierarchy.
- Understand individuality – We are all unique.There is no other human being exactly like you or me.Understanding this means you are more likely to see hidden potential in an employee, which could lead to a wise promotion at the right time. The more you know about your workforce as individuals, the better decisions you can make.Each employee should have a growing file and with regular one-on-one meetings, team morale is always high and you have a personal connection with all employees.
- Dealing with unsuccessful candidates – When a lower managerial position is filled, you should have a short meeting with the unsuccessful candidates (internal only), informing them that their potential has been noticed and they do figure in future plans. People handle things like this in different ways.Therefore, it is important to have one-on-one communication with employees that were not successful in gaining promotion.
- Provide accurate feedback to unsuccessful internal applicants – When an employee does not make it with a promotion, it is important to let the employee know the reasons for choosing another candidate.If it is a lack of hands-on experience, mention that this will soon no longer be the case.Be honest in your feedback and employees will appreciate that.Make sure to always finish the meeting in a positive light.
Every business should have a ‘promote from within’ policy and if your business is growing and you are not giving HR the attention it deserves, talk to a leading HR agency that services your sector. They have teams of experienced HR professionals that can manage all of your HR needs, including handling all kinds of disputes and conflicts.
HR Agency Services
Services offered by an HR agency include the following:
- 24/7 Employment law hotline
- Payroll
- Recruitment
- Workforce management
- Annual leave
- Health & safety
- Internal conflict resolution & mediation
Most small businesses outsource all of their HR needs, as it is cost-effective and you are getting the very best of attention with professional HR personnel.
To conclude, setting best practices for internal promotion is an essential part of good HR.If you are thinking of improving your HR, talk to a trusted HR agency and see what they can do for your company.