Reject a promotion? Why not!

GRADUATE, get a job and climb the corporate ladder.

This seems to be par for the course when it comes to career progression – or so we are led to believe.

So when a friend told me she turned down a promotion opportunity, I was befuddled.

I remember questioning the rationale behind it but she resolutely said: “I genuinely believe I am not suited for it (the new role). I just want to earn enough to get by comfortably and live a fulfilling life. Status quo is fine with me, thank you.”

That statement was a revelation and got me thinking from her point of view.

We are all cogs in the wheel of an organisation. Every role is important, but when something like a promotion comes along, I always thought people would jump at it, without hesitation – or at least attempt to take on the challenge first.

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Apparently, I was wrong.

The pandemic – and with it, working from home – has made people reconsider their priorities in life and take stock of their career.

And I can think of a few reasons why some people might think that turning down a promotion might be a step in the right direction.

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Self-care

Let’s face it. Rising higher through the ranks comes with more responsibilities – which some may shun as it means more stress and having to perform the balancing act in many circumstances.

It isn’t surprising that after weighing the pros and cons, one may feel that the money is just not worth the mental stress and the possibility of sacrificing quite a bit of “me” time.

Linda Teo, country manager, ManpowerGroup Singapore, agrees and adds that rejecting a promotion may not be a bad thing if the expanded job scope does not align with one’s priorities.

“Some people may reject the promotion if it requires them to cut down on their family time, or if they feel they cannot cope with the additional stress,” she says.

You like what you are doing 

I once asked a teacher if he was on the leadership track – which would mean becoming subject head, head of department, and possibly even principal eventually.

The answer was a negative as well. He proceeded to go into a screed about how that would mean having to deal more with administrative matters, which would take him away from what he truly enjoyed doing – teaching.

You hate your job/colleagues and already have plans to leave

There are people who are good at hiding their emotions and while everything seems fine and dandy on the surface, they have 1,001 grievances and an intense dislike of the work and their colleagues.

For them, they may already be on their next job hunt. In this scenario, it would be immensely irresponsible to take up the new role, only to leave a trail of disruption in the wake of their resignation.

Sometimes, however, it is not about hating the job, but the warning signs that scream out at you with this promotion. Jaya Dass, managing director of Permanent Recruitment in Asia Pacific at Randstad, said that some may hesitate to accept the promotion if the new role does not have clear responsibilities or key performance indicators. “If you were offered the role because the company has problems hiring someone for it, it may be a red flag as well.”

You’re just not ready

It isn’t embarrassing to admit that sometimes, you just need more time to learn. But if this is the case, Dass says that “it’s then important to consider if you’re ready to take on additional responsibilities, especially if you haven’t yet developed the necessary skills for the new role. You may feel overwhelmed if the size of your team doubles or if you work on a new project that you have no experience in and no guidance for”.

Thinking twice

But Teo from ManpowerGroup says that before rejecting the promotion, it is important to think of the opportunity costs and your priorities and weigh the two. “Your reasons to decline the promotion might be valid, but passing up this opportunity may hurt your career progression as the promotion might be offered to the next person.”

After making a decision, the next daunting task would be to turn down your boss - and how to do that tactfully.

First thing that comes to mind is to be upfront.

And Dass from Randstad backs me up on this.

“It’s important to be straightforward, clear and honest about why you are turning down the opportunity and be specific about what you want moving forward so your bosses have a better understanding of your career trajectory. This way, they are able to find and create more relevant growth opportunities for you as a retention measure,” she says.

All in all, I think that rejecting a promotion should not be construed as a setback (if you’re then seen as not ambitious or hungry enough). It should, however, be a strategic move where one wants to further hone his/her skills in a particular area or field. It is therefore imperative that we mull it over and choose what suits us best – and then look ahead, without regrets.