In many work environments, promotions serve as one of the few indicators of career success and advancement. But promotions have a long feedback loop. They often take years to happen, which means they mask the growth happening across the months and years before a promotion is conferred. Promotions are also not entirely under an employee’s or their manager’s control. Sometimes a higher scope of work is not available, or leadership roles are limited in number.
How to Motivate a Top Performer — When You Can’t Promote Them
Talented employees may feel demoralized by slow career advancement. These interim strategies can help ensure their underlying needs are met.
January 04, 2023
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Summary.
Organizations can’t promote everyone; there will always be high-performing employees who want to get promoted in situations where promotion isn’t possible or requires waiting. This creates a problem for managers and leaders who want to retain top talent, but don’t have flexibility in promotions. The solution is to develop interim strategies to help these employees get their underlying needs met. For example, by narrowing down what the promotion signifies or enables for a given employee, managers can then scan for opportunities that could lead to uniquely meaningful work experiences.