PROMOTION
Promotion is the advancement of an employee from one job level to a higher one, with increase in salary. It should also usually result in changes in duties and higher level/degree of responsibility, status and value. Sometimes the job itself may be upgraded (e.g., steno to secretary) to a higher level of skill, responsibilities and pay. When as a result of promotion there is no increase in the employee’s pay it is called a ‘dry’ promotion. A dry promotion is usually made decorative by giving a new and longer title to the employee. Employers generally get rid of their incompetent employees by giving them such decorative promotions.
In many companies, only vertical promotions are made under which the employees are promoted from one rank to the next higher rank in the same department. A vertical promotion scheme has two disadvantages: first, it limits the experience of an employee; second, it deprives him of the opportunity to secure promotion in other departments at the right time. As such, horizontal promotions are also allowed in some companies under which employees may be promoted to higher ranks in other departments as well.
It is considered good personnel policy to fill vacancies in a higher job through promotion from within. Such promotions provide an inducement and motivation to the employees, removes feeling of stagnation and frustration and inculcates a sense of growing up with the organization reinforcing common goals between the individual and the organization.
Criteria for promotion decisions:
- Performance-length of service (seniority) or merit and ability
- Educational/technical qualification
- Assessment of potential
- Career and succession plan
- Organization chart based vacancies
- Motivational strategies-job enlargement
- Spacing of the promotion and career span of the individual
