4 Reasons To Reject A Promotion At Work

As seen on Forbes.

Most people see a job promotion as a reward for their efforts and contribution to the company that they work in. Conventional wisdom states that as far as corporate roles go, staying in one role for too long makes you look like you’re stagnating. 

After all, it’s called the corporate ladder because if you’re not moving up, the general opinion is that you’re not doing enough of a good job. Right? 

Well, as a former HR Lead, I can tell you that this isn’t always true. 

I know it seems counterintuitive, but it’s fairly common to see people who were excellent as individual contributors, get promoted to management roles, and then not meet expectations with their performance. A promotion offer may sound great on paper, but it doesn’t automatically guarantee job satisfaction. 

Here are four reasons why you should think twice before accepting that job offer. 

If It Doesn’t Align With Your Goals 

A management role isn’t an upgrade of your entry-level job. Sure, it may come with perks like a new office, a bump in pay, or even a guaranteed parking spot close to the building. Instead, it’s a completely different role that brings different responsibilities that may or may not align with your long-term career goals. 

For example, say you were a software engineer with a passion for writing code. You enjoy a good coding problem and find fulfillment when you finally crack an issue that’s been stumping your team for weeks. 

It’s because of this passion that you stand out among your peers and one day, you’re handed a promotion offer as an Engineering Manager. Despite having the word “engineering” in its name, you’re likely to do more managing than actual engineering. 

You may find yourself taken away from coding and thrust into overseeing the entire engineering team, managing project timelines, and working with other departments to ensure seamless collaboration — which you may find less enjoyable than your previous role.

If you already find fulfillment in your current role and think that a management role will take you away from your true passion, then maybe accepting that new promotion offer isn’t the best idea.

If It Means Sacrificing Your Work-Life Balance 

As an individual contributor, you’re likely only expected to be available within your shift. You’re expected to fulfill your tasks within a certain time frame and are generally free to clock off after. For a lot of people, this means being able to maintain a reasonable work-life balance.

This isn’t always the case once you move up to a management role, where your performance is tied to the success of the entire team. A lot of new managers find themselves spending extra hours at work, particularly when they need to pick up the slack from a struggling team member or when a critical deadline needs to be met.

Don’t get me wrong: getting a management role can be a unique opportunity to acquire new skills and learn lessons that will prove useful in the long run. A lot of people look at their pay and feel that the financial incentive is enough to fuel them. And some individuals naturally excel under pressure and want more responsibility to grow their skills.

But sometimes, a job is just a job. And if you’re comfortable in your role and the income that you earn, then it may make sense to pass on that promotion.

If Management Roles Are Constantly Getting Vacated 

Sometimes, people get promoted not because they are the best choice, but because there simply isn’t a better one. If your department feels like a constantly revolving door for managers, then the promotion offer that landed on your desk isn’t necessarily a sign that you are the ideal candidate for the role.

Instead, it might be a sign of a deeper issue within the organization – such as burnout, lack of support from upper management, high-pressure environments, or a mixture of all three. Given these issues, you might not exactly be set up for success and you could end up in the same situation that the previous managers were in.

You might try to create change within your role, which can be worth it for you in the long run. However, it’s best to manage your expectations and realize the limitations of what can be achieved within your level. If the issue is systemic, change likely needs to come from the top leadership, not middle management.

If Leadership Just Isn’t Your Thing

Just because you perform well in your current role, doesn’t mean that you’re automatically the best candidate for a management position.

Some people are born natural leaders. But for the rest of us who aren’t, the good news is that just like any other skill, leadership can be learned. However, it’s crucial to realize that it’s not a one-size-fits-all transition, and not everyone may have the inclination or desire to become a leader. 

Getting a promotion is generally a good sign — it points to your success in your current role and your potential to make a greater impact within the organization. However, it’s crucial to understand that a promotion changes not only your title, pay, and perks, but also alters your daily tasks, the key performance indicators for your role, and the skills that you need to succeed.

Pay attention to these changes, and make sure that you’re keenly aware of what you’re getting into before accepting the offer. At the end of the day, it’s your career and you get to decide what “success” looks like for you!