Gone are the days when employees were promoted because they were first to arrive and last to leave. In this day and age, it takes a lot more for you to get promoted.
The advancement of an employee from one position to another or from one job to another that comes with a higher salary and a more senior title and more responsibilities in any organization is mostly what is known as promotion. Then the question arises, what really counts for an employee to get a promotion at a work place? Is it quantity or quality? Gone are the days when employees were promoted because they were first to arrive and last to leave. In this day and age, it takes a lot more for you to get promoted and we believe that a well-deserved promotion has a lot more to do with an employee than an employer.
The quality of work is a more important factor when it comes to promotion than the quantity. Of course every task given by our seniors have a deadline but that doesn’t mean that you should hand in assignments that are hurriedly done and of poor quality. In a bid to seeking promotions, some employees tend to think that the more work you do the higher your chances of getting that promotion. As such, what their supervisors end up with is work that is of low quality simply because the said employee had too much to handle and no time to do a decent jobs or failed to delegate tasks to his colleagues to assist. This is such a common scenario with some of our colleagues. And of course, someone else always has to clean their mess.
Employers want to see people who own what they do, have leadership qualities, are problem-solvers, have passion for their job and a positive attitude that is willing to get the work done despite the challenges that may come their way. They want employees who can be relied upon and are willing to come up with solutions that will see the business prosper. Employees whose input in the business can’t be overlooked. Additionally, delegation of tasks is another skill set that employers admire. Of course we are all human and can’t handle all tasks given on our own. This is where, showing your leadership skills by delegating tasks, come into play. Delegating tasks doesn’t mean that you can’t do the task. It simply shows that you can’t be an island. That you will definitely always be appreciative of the input your colleagues make to get the work done. Most of this attributes are what managers or leaders use to promote their employees.
Most importantly, climbing the organizational ladder shouldn’t be viewed as the only form of promotion. Getting a lateral shift and not vertical one might just be what you need. It might open amazing doors and give you the much needed career satisfaction and growth that we all desire in our career growth journey. If you get moved from your department to a different one on the same pay slip and title; which is the lateral move; don’t frown about it. Instead, see the new role as an opportunity that comes with its own unique responsibilities and opportunity to learn new skills that will enable you add value to your organization. After all, no knowledge is wasted knowledge. Employees who show the much needed work ethic, are willing to help their colleagues and be part of a team, meet their deadlines, and are the go-to-person when help is needed are always a great pick when it comes to those being considered for promotion.
Quality work can be achieved through integrity and being trustworthy. As such, avoiding petty office gossip and politics (though unavoidable at times) ensures that you are on the right track in your responsibilities and tasks. Know the decision makers, respect them and form decent partnerships with them. However, don’t bite more than you can chew. If possible, observe from the sidelines and ensure that the partnerships will add value to you. Ask yourself where your career is headed in say five years’ time. Start living and acting that future today. Be professional in your communication and be considerate of other people’s input and feelings.
Staying the course, is said,helps an employee in building their skills, networks and self-confidence.You will need to exercise patience after all, leaders are patient people. Having your company’s values at heart and achieving the set key performance indicators (KPIs) is a good way to start positioning yourself for promotions. This is about strategic deliberate self-positioning that isn’t all about the quantity of responsibilities one has, but the quality of the effort and results that one exhibits. Work quantity cannot be entirely ignored for promotions, especially when organizations are downsizing or cost-cutting. However, in process driven work environments, and in quality management systems, the quality of work plays a bigger role in positioning employees for promotions.
