A recent poll by a recruitment firm revealed that 81% of women working in white-collar jobs feel that they are disadvantaged in comparison to their male counterparts when it comes to promotion. The poll also found that over half of female professionals feel less motivated to pursue promotion currently than they did two years ago, and that almost 40% believed that their work wasn’t valued as equal to that of men in the same role. While this poll looks at only a snapshot of female professionals, it gives an indication of how many may be feeling when it comes to promotion. Feeling overlooked for promotion or that there is no opportunity to progress can result in employees feeling disengaged and undervalued, so it is important for employers to be alive to this potential issue in their own workplaces.
Clear criteria and customised feedback
Being transparent about the promotion process and about what criteria needs to be met can help avoid situations where employees, of either sex, simply don’t understand why they have not been successful. Making it clear what is required can help individuals build a better case for their own promotion and encourage them to showcase their skills and achievements in a way that best fits with the criteria. It can also help employees better understand when it is appropriate to apply for promotion and when perhaps it isn’t.
Transparency as to what is expected and how decisions are made can also help staff to understand why they have not been successful on a particular occasion and avoid any misunderstandings. Providing individual feedback where appropriate will also reassure applicants that despite not having secured promotion on this occasion, they are not simply being passed over, but rather there are further milestones that they need to hit. In addition to providing an explanation as to why promotion was not granted, this will also give staff the information they need to try to ensure they are successful the next time they apply.
Standards that don’t discriminate
Be mindful that the criteria do not inadvertently disadvantage women. For example, a requirement to work full time in order to be promoted to a management position is likely to be discriminatory as more women than men have caring responsibilities and are therefore more likely to work part time. Women may be generally disadvantaged when it comes to promotion as they are more likely to take time off work for maternity/parental/carer leave than men and to take time off or work reduced hours if they have young children. Returning to the workforce after a period of extended leave, for whatever reason, can be daunting and can often result in women’s careers being set back by both the number of years they were out of the workforce and also by however many years it takes to “catch up”. Providing tailored return to work plans and appointing mentors can help get returning female employees on the fast track for promotion much more easily than leaving them to find their feet again with little or no support.
While not everyone can be promoted during every promotion cycle, making sure that the application process is transparent and that there’s a level playing field can go some way to ensuring that female employees do not feel disadvantaged or overlooked. Outside of the promotion process, providing regular feedback and acknowledging achievements can help employees feel valued day-to-day, providing little boosts to morale while they climb the corporate ladder!
