Any promotion typically starts off with a sense of relief. Employees wait for months or even years before they are recognized, given greater responsibility, or receive an upgrade to a position that actually matches the job they thought they were doing all along. At first, the promotion seems like a confirmation of what should have happened long ago.
For some individuals, however, their positive attitude will shift drastically after settling into their new position. The joy they experienced at first suddenly becomes a burden, feeling much larger, more exposed, and much harder to handle than they anticipated.
The issue lies in the fact that promotions do not involve just an increase in workload. On the contrary, they come with an increase in visibility, pressure to make decisions, responsibility, and the way other people interact with the employee. A job that used to be all about executing tasks might now require the employee to use their judgment, deal with ambiguity, and navigate politics.
According to Gallup's manager-squeeze research, most employees enter managerial positions or take on more responsibilities more quickly than their companies prepare themselves to provide adequate assistance to them. This disparity could be why some employees find it difficult to adjust even if they are competent enough for the new post.
What makes the matter more confusing is the fact that promotions look good from the outside. Employees' titles are better. They may even earn more. Coworkers may pat them on the back. But inside, they might find themselves struggling to cope with the challenges they never expected.
Promotions often remove certainty before employees build confidence in the new role
Another key reason why promotions get emotionally charged fast is the loss of the competence loop. This is what people had previously, when things were clear. The new job involves solving ambiguous tasks and answering questions that don’t have clear answers yet. According to the American Psychological Association's report "Work in America," unclear expectations and chronic overload are tightly correlated with poor outcomes at work and stress.
It gets even clearer for positions in which there is an element of leadership involved. For example, employees start working under conditions where they lead peers and handle issues that require them to juggle priorities and take responsibility without having enough power to do so. As Gallup points out, it is important not only to have a promotion but to go through it successfully as well.
Employees can misinterpret their own emotions as well. One such misconception is that if the job turns out to be too daunting for them right away, then they cannot handle the position. Another misconception is that employees should not complain about the challenges, since they desire to get the promotion themselves. Both misconceptions can hinder the process of adjustment. What employees need to ask themselves instead is whether the difficulties are due to role shock or other underlying problems within the organization.
Many promotions fail because the transition is under-supported, not because the employee is incapable
The promotion is considered an accomplishment itself rather than a process. The promotion is announced to everyone, but the period for adjusting to the situation is given little thought. People are supposed to cope easily with the changes, perform well in their tasks, and be able to make decisions on the go. As per Gallup’s findings on workplaces, employees tend to react positively to being coached in such times. Without this process, even capable employees might start thinking about their competence for the position.
However, it is true that there are promotions that do not really work out. But there are other positions which may seem to be completely unbearable at first and yet end up being quite manageable as the person comes to understand their responsibilities better. The difference lies in whether or not the person gets his bearings and starts to take control of things. For many employees, the problem with promotions is not the position itself.
