How to Talk to Staff About a Peer's Promotion

Announcing a coworker's promotion can be a positive occasion for all.

When announcing a colleague's promotion, do you anticipate cheering and clapping, or rolling eyes and lukewarm applause? Announcing an individual's promotion to her coworkers can be easily accomplished by balancing comments about the promoted employee's performance with observations of teamwork and opportunities for promoting all employees. Announcing a promotion is an opportunity for encouraging colleagues to strive for their own promotions. Citing specific examples of the promoted person's accomplishments provides a platform for colleagues' success. Discussing a promotion in terms of the organization's success through teamwork rather than only emphasizing an individual's performance may limit negative feelings among coworkers.

Things You'll Need

• Prepared remarks about the employee's former and future jobs

Instructions

1. 

   Discuss performance traits associated with employee promotions.

   Research the employee's history with the organization. Prepare remarks reflecting the promoted employee's progress through the ranks. Identify examples of the promoted employee's superior job performance. Cite specific accomplishments when announcing an employee promotion. Acknowledge teamwork and support given the employee by coworkers and management. Recognize the promotion as a measure of accomplishment by the employee and her coworkers.

2. 

   Announce employee promotions as part of scheduled staff meetings.

   Summarize the promoted employee's ideas, projects or activities leading to the promotion. Identify specific accomplishments and encourage coworkers to strive for promotion by practicing similar techniques. Re-affirm the value of teamwork and mutual support among team members as a means of accomplishing career goals. Incorporate appropriate humor into the promotion announcement. Thank the employee for his work and wish him success.

3. 

   Negative responses to a promotion announcement can occur for a variety of reasons.

   Be aware of potential negative reactions by colleagues to a coworker's promotion. Encourage goodwill and positivity by thanking all attendees for their contributions to the promoted employee's success. Keep the announcement short and casual. Discuss any negative responses to the promotion privately with the appropriate individuals after announcing the promotion.

4. 

   Schedule the announcement and any related festivities in accordance with company policies and procedures. Handle all promotional announcements in the same fashion. Avoid showing preference for any employee over others. Conclude an announcement of employee promotion by encouraging coworkers to continue their work and strive for their own promotions.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep promotion announcements short, factual and sincere.

• Avoid showing favoritism or personal preferences during a promotion announcement.

• Before drafting a script for a promotion announcement, check with human resources for templates or preferred wording.

• Avoid putting the promoted employee "on the spot" during the announcement.

• Don't allow a promotion announcement and festivities to interfere with others' work.

References

• Sample Press Release Announcing Promotion

Resources

• Example of employee promotion announcement