Promotion Created During My Maternity Leave

[imogdi248]

I returned to work in my role as a team leader following maternity leave 5 weeks ago. There are 3 team leaders in the department and a manager above us - during previous conversations about career development there has never been any suggestion that there is any other direct, formal progression/development for my role other than my managers role which she would obviously have to vacate which is unlikely to happen as far as I have been aware. We have a PDP rating system and it has always been my understanding that this is the way in which our contribution/performance would be evaluated/recognised - with the exception of the PDP conducted during my maternity leave which was a default "meets expectations" my own performance has always been rated at "above expectations".

During my maternity leave my manager was unfortunately off sick for a long period of time - in order to recognise the contribution of one of the other team leads during this time they were "given a little promotion" (quote from my manager) and now have the title of Senior Team Lead. This person is now clearly the direct "back up" for our manager during any periods she has out of the office and is therefore getting more exposure to strategic conversations, workshops, projects with the senior management team.

I have absolutely no issue with the person who has been given this promotion and I know that she will have worked extremely hard during the time that our manager was absent but I want to know if I am right to feel hard done to because I was not able to access this promotion purely because I was not present in the office because of maternity leave?

I would like to discuss this in my next 121 meeting with my manager but don't want to come across as "whiney" and "its not fair" which is not my MO.

Honestly, it doesn't sound like she was given it just as recognition but because your manager was off sick for an extended period of time and they needed someone to fill her shoes.

The fact that she has retained the title could be down to the company having little faith that your manager won't go off on leave again.

I understand where you are coming from because I was in a very similar position myself, but I would say hang fire. Absolutely mention it in your next meeting, but try not to feel hard done by until you see the work. I was upset that coming off mat leave I was overlooked for TWO promotions, and one of them was a made up job title. It turns out the workload was ridiculous and I could not have managed juggling that first year back at work with mum guilt and 80/90 hour work weeks.

The problem is you’ve not been there so you can’t know what happened. I don’t think there’s any way not to sound “whiney”.

You’d be better off using the time to discuss your own prospects and development needs and how to gain more exposure and experience.