New job role created for one person - is this fair?

[Rightorwrong23]

Work have created a new job title/role which didn’t exist before. It comes with a payrise, better working hours and option to WFH (something none of us can do due to nature of the job). It’s a blend of two different roles and one which most people at work would love to get promoted to.

This job has been handed to a colleague and as such they have been ‘promoted’.

This role was not advertised internally or externally for anyone else to apply for. The person hasn’t currently got adequate training but does have experience - something we all have - so isn’t in any better of a position ‘on paper’ than the rest of us.

Are work within their rights to create and allocate this new role to one employee, without giving the rest of the employees a fair chance in the form of an interview or application process?

IME in the public sector, such roles are designed for a specific person, the job is put out and the interviews are all done as a box ticking exercise and then the hire the person they created the role for. I'd rather they be up front and not waste peoples time interviewing for job they have no chance at.

That's the way the cookie crumbles in the private sector, they don't have any obligation to be transparent or fair.

I think it will be a bad look for you if you complain.

But you could have a discussion with your manager saying that the next time there is a new role you would like to be given the opportunity to apply, as you intend to grow your career at the company. You can also ask for a conversation about your own progression and conditions.

This happens ALL the time. When I was in Civil Service I saw two very nice jobs created specifically for exact candidates and the job descriptions were written for those candidates ie something like “Seeking accountancy-qualified Norweigian speaker with experience of Chinese children’s books market” (obvs that is a fake example).

What really got me though was when I left my job, my boss regraded it and gave it a payrise so that his mate who was the grade above me would be able to take it and they could work together. Same job but suddenly worth higher grade and more money. 🙄

I’m not defending it, it’s corruption and it pisses me off, but you’re probably better off working on your office politics/ networking skills than resenting it.

Fair and legal are two different things. It is totally legal to appoint someone to a job without any competition or recruitment process. Obviously, doing so in that way could lead to suggestions of unlawful actions such as discrimination. Which is why many employers protect themselves with layers of policies and practices to demonstrate how fair they've been. Of course, despite all that, if they have a particular outcome in mind, that will be the one that happens. It'll just look better on paper!

This happened to me where a job was created, private company running a goverment contract. This was 2 years ago though so not me now. The only thing I would say is maybe you all need to up your game and you might be the one spotted as someone who deserves the chance?

Is it possible that the role was created for them due to specific circumstances such as flexible working requests? I've seen people return from sick or maternity leave and get new roles 'created' for them to allow flexibility. E.g. were a customer facing manager but can't have them part time so created a new non-customer facing role with the ability to wfh.