How to Support Your Spouse's Job Promotion

A spouse's job promotion can be joyous occasion since it tends to provide greater work duties and more money yet the job promotion can create conflict if it is not handled properly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Communication
• Honesty
• Respect

1. Listen to your spouse's response to his/her job promotion. An expected job promotion will create a strong sense of identity and happiness whereas an unexpected job promotion can create anger because of new responsibilities which may or may not be paid.

2. Accept that your spouse's job promotion may cause a long adjustment period. The adjustment may include a longer commute if transferred to a different location, longer hours if monitoring employees, or additional paperwork which may have to be completed at home.

3. Openly communicate any concerns during weekly/biweekly family meetings. Address these issues before resentment occurs which can lead to marital stress. Both partners need to listen and speak.

4. Balance the negative (ex. additional hours) with the positive (ex. additional money). This allows each spouse to realize that a job promotion is for the overall happiness of the family.

5. Earmark any additional income for both the family (ex. vacation) and the spouse with the promotion (ex. sports tickets). This allows the family to enjoy the fruits of the job promotion while allowing the employee an additional incentive to accept his/her job promotion.

Tips & Warnings

• Accept the changes as part of family growth.
• Allow the spouse emotional and physical time.
• Respect each other's concerns.
• Speak with a qualified marriage counselor if needed.
• Accept the possibility of spousal resentment.
• Consider this a learning experience.