PROMOTING FROM WITHIN: GETTING IT RIGHT

Promoting from within isn't just about filling a position,  it's about investing in your team's growth, fostering loyalty, and building a culture of opportunity.

There is a clear balance between promoting the right person and filling a vacant post, however harsh as that may sound.  

So why promote staff from within your existing business?

Anyone looking for progression within your business is already likely invested with your vision and values and can therefore hit the ground running. They will likely understand your processes, procedures and the dynamics of your wider team.

The colleagues working with the candidate will likely already have existing bonds, and as such, they will likely feel comfortable with the change and may even ensure that staff feel more comfortable to bridge the perceived gap between operational function and management.

It is highly likely that the change will allow others within your organisation to see future potential for themselves. Seeing someone move to a new role will likely further foster your internal culture of growth and investment and reassure staff that you are invested in them.

Promoting someone from within, will provide a different perspective. The “from the floor” view can often be very valuable in challenging process and improvement and how you are delivering your services/products, your audience and how you can utilise innovation to promote your business for the future.

And why not?

If the person isn’t the right fit, whether internal or external, then you will do more damage than good by appointing the wrong person.

If you promote the wrong candidate from within, you may well loose other employees if you aren’t making sound choices based on the business need and the skills or the individual.

Your business wont thrive with the wrong people in post. This will affect your business reputation, profits and overall value. 

Here are my top tips to help you get it right:

Recognise potential: Look beyond current roles and titles to identify team members with the potential to thrive in new positions. Consider their skills, experience, and passion for the company's mission and values.

Utilise process to your advantage: Use tools such as appraisals and coaching discussions to understand your staff and how they are looking to progress. How can you coach them towards this goal and how can you offer support to it.

Provide development opportunities: Invest in training, mentorship, and professional development programs to help prepare internal candidates for advancement. Encourage continuous learning and growth at every level of the organisation.

Communicate openly: Be transparent about promotion opportunities and criteria, ensuring that all team members understand the path to advancement and have equal access to it. Foster a culture where feedback is encouraged and valued.

Fair and objective selection Process: Establish clear criteria and guidelines for promotion decisions, and ensure that the selection process is fair, unbiased, and based on merit. Avoid favouritism or nepotism, and reward performance and potential above all else.

Support transition: Provide support and resources to help newly promoted employees transition smoothly into their new roles. Offer guidance, feedback, and opportunities for growth to help them succeed in their expanded responsibilities.

Celebrate success: Recognise and celebrate internal promotions as milestones of achievement for both the individual and the organisation. Highlight the value of promoting from within, and inspire other team members to strive for growth and advancement.

Pumping new life into your workplace is absolutely crucial for any leader. But “new life” does not have to mean hiring from outside of your pre-existing team. In fact, hiring from within has always been an important reminder that my team, regardless of their given “rank” in the company, all contain a personal perspective that can serve the growth and expansion of the business. On a personal level, seeing the humans whose spark I noticed live up to their potential is the ultimate form of personal motivation to keep grinding, improving and making things happen.