HR ADVISE ON PROMOTION PROCESS

[Ihaveadoodle]

Hi.. quick HR advice please!

I work public sector in a team of 5.. one member is retiring in June and this year (while the rest of us were WFH) convenienced management we need a team manager.

Before the promotion was announced this person announced the plans for team manager and named a person on our team as said chosen person (someone they have worked with for years). Also that they had been involved in the HR processes and that themselves and two other parties were aware of said planned promotion.

Management as since announced the application process for the management role and encouraged us all to apply. Myself and another colleague were not informed and the other 3 team members have known for weeks and have obviously since been able to pick jobs and work on projects relevant to the new promotion.

Can anyone advise? I spoke to management and they denied that anyone else knew about the promotion and that said person was not involved in the HR process. All three colleagues admit they have known about the promotion and that person attending the HR meetings.

Oh and the announcement and deadline was conveniently within a colleague that was unaware of the promotions annual leave. So the process will be closed upon their return.

Any help GREATLY appreciated if we have anything we can do on the situation.

Eugh so many typos! Apologies wrote this in a rage lol

Nope, not a scooby.

If you are in a union they'd be good to ask.

My understanding is that you feel colleagues have been given an unfair advantage by having advanced notice of the job vacancy.

This will be very difficult to remedy as ultimately it can't be undone. And they will likely claim that advance notice did not influence the outcome.

Your colleague can make an application whilst on leave, if they really want it?

Unfair advantage definitely.

I work in a creative job and recently.. we allocate jobs on who is best suited at that time. Recently it hasn't gone unnoticed by other departments that said two who know about the promotion coming up have had their selection on important jobs.. working with external partners etc.

Deep breath and without the Friday night wine.

Explain it again.

Haha too many wines is CORRECT haha apologies!

Essentially team member one set up with management a senior position for team member 2. Team members 1, 2 and 3 knew this was being put in place and when. Team member 1 went as far as naming team member 2 as the chosen candidate.

Management have since advertised two management positions while team member 4 is on leave. 1, 2 and 3 have known about the promotion and even team member 1 being involved in the HR processes. Management denies all even though all have admitted that they knew.

1, 2 and 3 have been able to select projects to work on in the last number of months that would better set them up for the promotion.

Does this make sense lol?

I think you mean that the person already chosen for one of the management positions (person 2?) has been talking about forthcoming plans with persons 1 and 3? And persons 4 and 5 feel left out?

Even that doesn't make sense completely as it's not clear which person is retiring, and what the promotion is if person 2 has already been named as the team leader. Where did the promotion come from and who is retiring?

You could raise a grievance. As it’s public sector this may be contravening a policy. The end result won’t change though- if management want to appoint this person that’s what will happen.

This is not right but it happens in the Civil Service. Most managers do it properly and follow fair and open competition rules.

Go to your TU and ask them to intervene - it may not make a difference but it might.

Also look at the Civil Service Commission rules as you may be able to complain directly to them. This will usually get HRs attention.