Q & A Table of Contents
The Company Giveth And The Company Taketh Away
From: Jill, St. Paul, Minnesota
Question: Two weeks ago I was offered a promotion and accepted. I've
been waiting for the person who I would be replacing to get her
promotion and move out of our department.
Unfortunately, politics got involved and now she's taking 1/2 of her
old duties with her meaning there is only a 1/2 time position
available for me.
I was offered a position that is 1/2 new job and 1/2 old job with a 3%
increase immediately and 3% in March. I would keep the old title with
Sr. added to the front of it.
I bounce from being extremely angry and disappointed to grateful for
the opportunity to at least move a little closer to my goal. P.S. -
Human Resources said this is the third time this has happened in our
division of 25 people - a promotion is offered and then taken down to
a lower level. Any advice?
Response: If Human Resources says that what has happened to you
reflects a pattern, it sounds as if you ought to be doing some
homework to find out whether there are any common threads in each of
those three cases. It is entirely possible that there is a conflict
between the desire to promote individuals on the one hand, and a lack
of planning about how to utilize personnel or deal with a particular
person’s ego on the other.
In the short term it may make sense to work with what you have in the
following way: If it is possible to do so, enlist the person you are
‘replacing’ as an ally. Find out how she feels about getting stuck
with 1/2 of her old job instead of getting a full-fledged promotion.
See whether her pay increase is proportionately similar to yours.
Figure out how the two of you might work together to ease her into her
new responsibilities on a full-time basis so you can have the
full-time job you anticipated when the promotion was first offered.
You also have to ask yourself crucial questions: Is the pain you are
suffering found in your ego, in your paycheck, or in your feelings
about your relationships with colleagues where the change is only 50%
in terms of your job responsibilities?
Before you go forward with any negotiations with HR folks — or
decision-makers within your team — you have to negotiate with
yourself, figuring out your own interests and their priority. Then
conversations with trusted colleagues to get their opinions of the
situation and exploration of issues with the person you have
semi-replaced could make sense as you develop your short- and
long-term plans. You should consider negotiation with HR or other
decision-makers only after you have done that preparation. Unless you
know the answer to the question, “What is the point of this exercise?”
it might well be best to reflect on the pluses and plan your pursuit
of more when the time is right.
Good luck,
Steve
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