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Original poster

Two colleagues being promoted above me, how to handle?

54 replies

Lizzie523 · 21/08/2021 10:43

I've heard through the grapevine and now had it confirmed privately that 2 of my colleagues are being promoted to junior management positions above me.

To explain, four of us all work on the same level at the moment, these 2 and one other woman who is brand new to the organisation. The other 2 have been promoted to that level whereas I stepped into it 2 years ago having had more experience already.

I'm shocked and upset as I've always had great appraisals and I demonstrate management skills often having basically line managed 2 people who were new starts. I can't understand why this decision has been made. How would you handle this?

OP posts:
IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 21/08/2021 10:44

I'd ask for a meeting with my manager for feedback and ways they feel you can improve performance

IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 21/08/2021 10:45

Specifically addressing the issue of promotion I mean.

54321nought · 21/08/2021 10:45

congratulate them

and ask for feedback from your direct manager for yourself

OverByYer · 21/08/2021 10:47

Speak to your manager or HR.
In my organisation those posts would have been advertised and we would have had to go through process.
Do you have Fairness at Work policy?

Azilliondegrees · 21/08/2021 10:48

I would find that hard OP. Are they ‘lifers’? The organisation that I work for has some people who have been there since finishing uni and who may well spend their whole career there. I was hired from a different industry and so it is sometimes harder for me to get some of the opportunities that are reserved for ‘lifers’.

The other thing is - have they been given ways to build their portfolio (stepping up here and there) that have given them an unfair advantage? And were these opportunities not open to everyone?

We have someone like this at work who seems to be building her empire all over the place. And someone else who is the favourite choice for all the great assignments. It’s lazy leadership really, not sharing the opportunity around.

Original poster
Lizzie523 · 21/08/2021 10:49

The issue that my direct manager is about to leave the company. I have a short window to speak to her, which I can do. The person that made the decision is someone who does not see my day to day work - we has very little communication and this person has never been part of my appraisals.

My colleagues are very good people and no doubt competent at their jobs but I think I've shown more leadership skills.

OP posts:
LawnFever · 21/08/2021 10:50

How have they been promoted, have those roles been advertised? Did you or anyone else have the option to apply for the roles?

I’d be booking in a meeting with your line manager and also HR to discuss this.

Original poster
Lizzie523 · 21/08/2021 10:51

@Azilliondegrees they aren't lifers, but one promotion makes more sense than the other.

The other person is interviewing for jobs right now and plans to take the promotion for the title for a few months then leave.

I feel humiliated in a way. I've worked bloody hard.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lizzie523 · 21/08/2021 10:52

@LawnFever

How have they been promoted, have those roles been advertised? Did you or anyone else have the option to apply for the roles?

I’d be booking in a meeting with your line manager and also HR to discuss this.

They were not advertised, my colleagues were taken aside and asked to take on the new roles.
OP posts:
Azilliondegrees · 21/08/2021 10:53

I would be asking why the process wasn’t transparent and open to all to be honest.

Bluntness100 · 21/08/2021 10:53

Op all you can do is speak to your manager. None of us can tell you why your view of your performance is adrift from the companies. Speak to them and ask to understand why you were not promoted. And what you need to do to be considered for the next time.

R0tational · 21/08/2021 10:54

Aww poor you OP. That does sound tough. Ask. And start job hunting.

SquirryTheSquirrel · 21/08/2021 10:54

@Azilliondegrees

I would be asking why the process wasn’t transparent and open to all to be honest.
Yes, this. That kind of thing pisses me off - not the idea that others might be promoted in itself, but when it's all done behind the scenes so no one else gets a look in.
Bluntness100 · 21/08/2021 10:54

@Azilliondegrees

I would be asking why the process wasn’t transparent and open to all to be honest.
My company isn’t open or transparent. I don’t agree with it, but that’s the way we operate it’s a management decision. Not all company’s are open and they don’t need to be.
PuppyMonkey · 21/08/2021 10:55

As others have said, were the roles advertised? Was it made clear to everyone promotion was possible by achieving xx standard? Def see your manager before they leave.

Bluntness100 · 21/08/2021 10:55

That kind of thing pisses me off - not the idea that others might be promoted in itself, but when it's all done behind the scenes so no one else gets a look in

In my experience it wouldn’t change th decision.

SquirryTheSquirrel · 21/08/2021 10:57

@Bluntness100

That kind of thing pisses me off - not the idea that others might be promoted in itself, but when it's all done behind the scenes so no one else gets a look in

In my experience it wouldn’t change th decision.

No, it wouldn't change the decision, but it might encourage them to go through the proper channels in future.

This kind of recruitment practice does nothing to promote a diverse workforce. It's why boards of directors are often made up solely of white men.

ThinkWittyThoughts · 21/08/2021 10:59

@Bluntness100

That kind of thing pisses me off - not the idea that others might be promoted in itself, but when it's all done behind the scenes so no one else gets a look in

In my experience it wouldn’t change th decision.

It's not mine either.

In fact this week it will be announced that I've been successful in applying for a promotion. What the other candidates don't know is the decision was made months ago, I helped write the job spec, and all the senior management (and HR!) and "in on it".

It's shit. I've made it known I think this is worse than just appointing me, but top HR person says we have a duty of transparency! This hypocrisy is astounding.

ThinkWittyThoughts · 21/08/2021 11:00

This kind of recruitment practice does nothing to promote a diverse workforce. It's why boards of directors are often made up solely of white men.

This is exact opposite of my situation. All other candidates are white men.

Azilliondegrees · 21/08/2021 11:00

@Bluntness100 the cynic in me agrees with you - when you force a company that likes to make these decisions in secret to be open they will make the same decision but with some farcical process around it. And tbh where I work if you go for a job as an internal they will already have decided if you’re appointable before interview (because you have to put in a lot of groundwork with the hiring team before).

But I do think it’s valid to question whether opportunities that would make people more likely to be promoted and demonstrate the right skills and competencies can be shared more evenly.

OverByYer · 21/08/2021 11:06

Does your company have a promotion policy?
I had similar happen to me. I found the policy which had been clearly breached and formally challenged it and won.
I got my promotion.

Bluntness100 · 21/08/2021 11:07

The truth of the matter though is people should be demonstrating those skills on a day to day basis, not only if they know they are in it for a promotion. Moving up isn’t just about leadership skills, it can be many other things to and is often multi faceted.

I agree it’s shit, but the reality is management felt these two were best suited to the roles. Day in day out the op had the same opportunities to display her ability to move to the next level. No one has been short changed on that, they all have the same manager.

All she can do here is ask for feedback. If one intends to leave she may be in with a shot then, so now is the time to understand what they are looking for to be demonstrated and spending the next few months doing it, with a big fat fake smile on her face.

Original poster
Lizzie523 · 21/08/2021 11:12

@Bluntness100 I disagree with this because there has been no real visibility on everything I have been doing while working from home. We've been back in the office 1 1/2 weeks.

There have been 3 new staff, I have mentored 2 and one of the guys being promoted has mentored 1. I raised this during my last PDR and we talked about that.

The manager who made this decision barely knows me. But I clearly need to speak to my own manager to learn more.

OP posts:
Azilliondegrees · 21/08/2021 11:16

@Lizzie523 yeah I’m with you. In my department some people are way more visible because of where they sit or who they report into. Every manager has their favourite(s) who get the juiciest things, and sometimes that cascades through the same individuals. Some people get to where they are by being the favourite, and other people struggle to be seen. Very often it is not a meritocracy.

WimpoleHat · 21/08/2021 11:18

I’d start looking for a new job. And take it when I got it.