‘Quiet promotions’ – what are they, and how can you avoid them?

‘Quiet promotions’ put extra pressure and work on staff and can cost your organisation valuable loyal employees, increase turnover and create a toxic work culture – here’s how to expand employee responsibilities in the right way 

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Business News Daily

As organisations battle a challenging hiring landscape, loyal employees left behind are frequently saddled with extra responsibilities, but no increase in compensation or title change – often, the organisation doesn’t even acknowledge the unfair expectations it places on affected team members. These ‘quiet promotions’ indicate a disconnect that may stem from one or all of the following: 

• lack of communication;
• poor management;
• inadequate planning and development. 

Here are some of the issues which quiet promotions may create in the workplace: 

• Resentment brews amid quiet promotions: most employees want to get a promotion and move up the ladder with a new title and salary boost. However, resentment brews when management gives staff more work and responsibilities without a pay increase and/or title change.
• Quiet promotions can create a toxic culture: when employees are mired in resentment and dissatisfaction, sustaining a healthy and engaging culture is hard. Employees want managers to create a workplace characterised by trust and recognition; when employees aren’t respected, camaraderie is impossible and culture becomes toxic.
• Quiet promotions destroy productivity: while quiet promotions may see initial boosts in productivity, in the long run, they negatively impact morale and turnover and increase employee burnout – ultimately destroying productivity.
• Quiet promotions can hurt an organisation’s reputation: reputation is crucial, especially when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent. If an organisation has a reputation for being a quiet promoter, promising recruits will go elsewhere, and loyal employees will leave. 

How can you expand employee responsibilities in the right way?

Most organisations want a healthy environment where employees produce high-quality work. As workloads fluctuate, and staffing issues occur, managers must balance fairness and accountability with high productivity and employee engagement. Here are some ways to keep your team working effectively and efficiently while avoiding quiet promotions:

Choose the right leadership team

Leaders are key to avoiding quiet promotions; true leaders will find a way to balance responsibilities while prioritising employee wellness and engagement. Having the wrong person in charge can alienate employees and, ultimately, steer your organisation in the wrong direction. 

Create and execute a plan for balanced delegation

Leaders must create a balanced delegation plan to increase productivity while avoiding overworking their teams. Some tips for balanced delegation include: 

• Get your team’s buy-in: involve the team when deciding which tasks are most crucial. 
• Find the ‘sweet spot’ when distributing projects: as a leader, part of the planning process is creating an action plan where everyone contributes according to their strengths – you don’t want your team getting assignments from senior-level management that don’t make sense.
• Set aside uninterrupted work time: motivate the team to dedicate a few hours every morning to concentrated, distraction-free, proactive work. Minor interruptions throughout the work day drastically impact employees’ productivity, waste time and make meeting project deadlines challenging.
• Set limits on meetings: find ways to shorten meetings, or turn them into emails or video chats. Setting restrictions on meeting length can help stem your team’s mental exhaustion.

Set clear expectations for your employees

Be clear about any additional responsibilities you’re giving them, and why, and let the employee know if the additional workload is temporary or building toward a promotion or pay increase. Follow through on the expectations you set in an appropriate time frame. 

Communicate consistently and with transparency

Great leaders communicate with their employees effectively. It’s crucial to talk to employees consistently and intentionally to assess their workloads and feelings, and to see if they’re getting the support they need. When employees and organisations understand each other’s goals, they can work together to ensure all needs are being met. 

Use recognition to encourage a sense of ownership

In an environment where employees feel empowered, and have a sense of ownership over their work, they’ll perform at a higher level and flourish. Gratitude and recognition are key; if managers give employees a considerable increase in responsibilities, this should go hand-in-hand with the proper recognition and rewards to empower the employee for continued success. 

Find ways to motivate employees beyond salary

Compensation doesn’t always have to mean a salary increase. If your employees are taking on additional work, consider offering more employee benefits such as paid time off, flexible work schedules and remote or hybrid work options. Employees will appreciate creative perks that boost their work-life balance, including opportunities to pursue professional development.