There are many positive reasons from both an employer and employee perspective when it comes to promoting individuals from within an organisation. For dedicated and talented members of the team it provides clear career progression routes and encourages higher levels of staff retention; in addition, these individuals are motivated and have an in-depth understanding of the business as well as established relationships with clients, customers and colleagues.
However, it is worth remembering that someone who excels at their job, may not necessarily be suitable for a managerial role and, similarly, the best managers are not always – or have been – the top performers within the teams that they now lead.
What is vitally important when it comes to promoting from within an organisation is recognising the qualities that are needed to make the step into a managerial role. It is also essential to appreciate that the manager route is not for everyone - or that more time is needed – and have in place alternative progression routes, training or mentoring to enable those with potential to receive the additional support they need to make a move up.
Key qualities to look for when promoting from within:
Communication: do they display good communication skills and are they able to communicate well with people at different levels throughout the organisation?
Leadership: are they someone who leads by example, is motivated and proactive in their approach? Do they encourage and support others that they work with?
Time management and organisation: do they organise their time well to ensure workloads are manageable and deadlines are achieved? Can they see the bigger picture and have an appreciation of different priorities and responsibilities?
Teamwork: do they work well within a team? How will they make the adjustment to managing those they had previously worked at a similar level to? Can they motivate and encourage others to work together to achieve a collective outcome?
Solutions-focused: can they look objectively at a situation and suggest suitable approaches to overcome any problems? Do they have the ability to support others in their team and are they approachable?
Before recommending a promotion:
If there is someone that you feel could
be a good candidate for an internal promotion, it can be beneficial to identify
opportunities where they can take on additional responsibilities – such as
taking a lead role of a particular project – to gain an insight into how they would
perform.
After confirming a promotion:
Ensure that you continue to provide suitable support whether that is recruiting someone to back fill the position that they have vacate, team restructure or a mentoring programme whilst they adjust to their new role.
Sharp Consultancy specialises in the recruitment of temporary, interim and permanent finance professionals. With offices in Leeds and Sheffield our highly experienced team of consultants recruit for positions throughout Yorkshire and beyond. CONTACT UStoday to discuss your recruitment needs with a member of our team.