According to a survey back in October 2024, 85% of Filipinos are either happy or neutral about their jobs. Thatโs why happiness is one of the important measures of a productive and healthy workplace. To support this, employers often implement policies that promote fairness and equal opportunities for all employees.
When it comes to promotions, however, evaluating candidates can be a significant challenge. Aspiring employees may feel optimistic about their chances, especially when they have consistently put in hard work and dedication. Yet, when they are not selected, some may still believe they deserved the promotion which leads them to frustration or disengagement.
Thatโs why itโs essential to regularly review and improve promotion processes to ensure they are transparent and equitable. Doing so can lead to more motivated and engaged employees.
Here are some ways to promote fairness when helping employees advance in their career paths:
What do employers commonly overlook?
Employers can make mistakes when promoting an employee. Sometimes, decisions are based on impressions or unsolicited opinions rather than objective measures like performance and experience. There are also cases where more invested and high-performing employees are overlooked simply because the company has limited career advancement opportunities. As a result, there will be fewer engaged employees who may not be interested in applying for a future higher vacant position in the workplace and start performing at a bare minimum.
Choosing the right candidate is just as important as making a well-informed decision based on the right criteria. Employers sometimes neglect internal hiring and immediately advertise a job opening externally, without first considering qualified individuals within the organization. This approach can be costly and often leads to a poor hiring decision often creating a domino effect, disrupting operations, and limiting opportunities for employees to grow and contribute further to the companyโs success.
How to demonstrate fair employee promotion for all?
As employers, it’s time to review your employee promotion policiesโnot only to fill manpower gaps and retain top performers but also to ensure fairness and inclusivity across the board. Todayโs workforce is shaped by evolving expectations and diverse needs across generations. Thatโs why itโs essential to go beyond traditional approaches and consider a wider range of factors when providing growth opportunities.
Start building a better workplace by focusing on these three key areas:
Internal candidates
When it comes to promotions, you have two options: open opportunities to your internal employees or risk limiting their career growth. Many employees consistently show up, perform well, and demonstrate commitment, but their efforts can be overlooked due to clouded judgment, poorly defined performance indicators, or office politics.
To shine a spotlight on internal candidates and foster a fairer workplace, consider the following steps:
- Notify all employees when a position becomes available to ensure transparency and equal opportunity.
- Avoid overly strict qualification requirements, as many skills can be developed with the right training and support.
- Collaborate with managers to review the open role and effectively assess the eligibility of internal candidates.
- Provide adequate time for employees to prepare and submit their applications.
Beyond creating a fairer work environment, promoting from within also saves time and money in external hiring. It reduces the risks associated with career catfishing or hiring โghost employeesโ who may not align with your company culture or expectations.
Performance evaluations
The first step in reviewing and revising your employee promotion policy is to assess the relevance of your current performance evaluation criteria.
Bias is a common and often ignored factor that can negatively influence the decision-making process. When a familiar face consistently performs well, it’s easy to focus solely on them, unintentionally overlooking other deserving candidates. Thatโs why itโs essential to establish clear, objective criteria that evaluate not just performance, but also service, experience, professionalism, and long-term commitment to the company.
When updating or developing a performance evaluation process, consider including the following components:
- Tenure and work experience since joining the company
- Application of acquired skills from internal training and development programs
- Responsiveness to feedback and willingness to realign goals and behaviours
- Consistently exceeding expectations and actively participating in programs and collaborative efforts
Cross-training for employees
To make the promotion process more engaging and the decision-making more robust, consider implementing cross-training for potential candidates. Cross-training involves training employees to perform tasks outside of their usual roles, allowing them to gain a broader understanding of the companyโs operations.
For example, in the manufacturing industry, a candidate currently serving as Head of Operations could be temporarily assigned to inventory management. This hands-on experience helps them develop new skills and become more versatileโan important trait for leadership roles.
Hereโs what to consider when designing a cross-training program before promoting employees:
- Define your objectives and identify tasks suitable for cross-training.
- Select qualified employees who are ready and capable of taking on new responsibilities.
- Create a job rotation schedule that allows adequate time for learning.
- Monitor progress and track achievements throughout the training period.
- Gather employee feedback to improve the program and assess readiness.
This strategy also promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Regardless of gender, age, generation, or length of service, cross-training ensures that all employees have equal opportunities to acquire new skills and expand their understanding of the business as a whole.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! These three strategies may seem simple at first glance, but they play a crucial role in promoting fairness in the workplace. A fair promotion process goes beyond simply filling roles in the organizational chart. It ensures that deserving employees are given equal opportunities to grow. As an employer, fairness in the workplace by being transparent and consistent in recognizing performance is key to fostering a motivated and loyal workforce.Partner with Bossjob, a trusted platform working with reputable companies, to build and strengthen your talent pool. Download the app and connect with driven job seekers ready to grow with your company and share in your journey to success!
