Krishna Reddy says while the disappointment of an unsuccessful candidate for promotion can never be completely dispelled, there are ways to ease the pain of rejection.
Appraisals are a time when every employee is waiting to hear the ‘good news’ when they get a raise or promotion. Hopes are high.
On such occasions it is tough to cut these hopes and say to those who are unsuccessful that there will be no promotion or pay increase this time.
Pride, confidence and belief are shaken, making it important for bosses to know how they can gently get the message across.
They should be direct, without turning the rejection into a nightmare for the hopeful employee. Here are a few bits of advice.
Before the results are out, call a meeting with all employees and tell them that the office will be soon releasing news about promotions.
Use the meeting to tell everyone that just because someone is getting a promotion does not mean that they can afford to relax.
Similarly, someone not getting the promotion does not mean the person is unfit or unskilled; it is just not the right time.
People being people, news of promotions and pay rises can leak out before the official announcement — especially if the successful candidates are told in advance.
This is a terrible way of finding out you are not getting a promotion.
Such leaked information is unethical, unhealthy and will boost negativity, making the situation more complicated. Ensure that promotion news remains confidential.
When a person does not get promoted, the revelation can be pretty hard.
Call the unsuccessful candidates in for a one-on-one meeting and then tell them.
Get the detailed report from the human resources department so that when you meet you are well prepared and will not hunt for explanations.
Ready answers will also help put the employee at ease and clear his confusion.
Don’t wait till the end of the day to get the message across. Mornings have a positive energy about them. This will also give them the remaining day to assess the situation.
Don’t talk about the person who got the promotion.
This will result in you having to explain why they deserved the promotion and the unsuccessful candidate didn’t, which is terribly demotivating.
Let the employee express his opinions, suggestions and remarks — even if it is criticism. It is an emotional moment and they might wish to let their feelings be known.
Now, is the time to tell the employee where they fell short. Approach this topic slowly and tell them, one point at a time, which areas need improvement.
Stress that not getting a promotion is not the end of a career – their moment will come again.
You may not be able to please each and every one of your employees who has been given the hard news, but if small incentives or suggestions such as more training or organising a workshop are possible, this sends a message that everyone is important.
In the end, whatever you do, you are unlikely to make the disappointment go away.
The idea is to make the process easier both for you and the employee and to let them realise the process was fair and it was a decision that had to be taken.
*Krishna Reddy is an author and publisher who writes regularly for the Wisestep software and career advice company.
This article first appeared on the Wisestep website.
