HR People Pod - Ep 17: Dry promotions | Determining job value | Work ethic | Intelligent failure
Feb 12, 2025
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Join Elizabeth Harvey, Head of HR at HSBC, and Jo Carlin, Senior VP HR at Firstsource, as they dive into pressing HR issues. They explore the troubling trend of 'dry promotions' where employees gain responsibility without extra pay. Is there a work ethic crisis in the UK? The conversation also touches on how to intelligently learn from failures and the balance of psychological safety in the workplace. Plus, they dissect the evolving dynamics of job value and the importance of equitable pay practices.
The podcast highlights the issue of dry promotions, where employees gain responsibilities without pay increases, raising concerns about fair compensation practices.
It emphasizes the need for intelligent failure, advocating for a learning-oriented approach to mistakes while fostering a psychologically safe workplace environment.
Deep dives
Understanding Dry Promotions
The concept of dry promotions, where employees receive new responsibilities without a corresponding pay increase, is examined. This trend, identified in Australia where nearly 40% of employees have reportedly experienced such promotions, raises concerns regarding fairness in the workplace. The discussion reveals personal anecdotes of early career promotions that lacked financial compensation, highlighting a potential generational attitude of gratitude towards promotional opportunities despite the absence of pay. The participants argue that while gaining experience and new responsibilities can be valuable for career development, employees must also negotiate for appropriate compensation to reflect their increased contributions.
The Challenge of Equal and Fair Pay
The complexities surrounding equal and fair pay in organizations are discussed, particularly in the context of promotion dynamics. It is noted that the willingness to advocate for fair pay often differs between genders, which can lead to larger pay gaps. Historical data indicates that many employees, especially women returning from maternity leave, may feel grateful for job opportunities and thus hesitate to negotiate for raises. The importance of leadership in ensuring recognition and fairness in pay practices is emphasized, as is the need for employees to be proactive in evaluating their compensation relative to their roles.
Shifts in Work Ethic and Productivity
A narrative emerges questioning whether workers are becoming lazier, particularly among remote employees, alongside political calls for increased work ethic. The panel argues that this perception is more a media narrative than a reality, suggesting that advancements in technology have merely altered how employees work rather than decreasing their productivity. They contend that while work-life balance discussions are prevalent, the reality of role conflict can lead to stress rather than laziness. The focus shifts towards recognizing that younger generations may struggle with the transition into the workforce, often influenced by unrealistic portrayals of work-life in media and social platforms.
Navigating Failure and Learning in the Workplace
The podcast explores the concept of intelligent failure, advocating for a nuanced approach to understanding failure in professional settings. The distinction between acceptable failures that offer learning opportunities and critical failures with significant ramifications is crucial. Emphasizing the importance of psychological safety and open communication, the conversation highlights best practices for enabling teams to innovate without fear of severe repercussions. Ultimately, the discussion encourages a reflective approach to failures while fostering an environment where intelligent risks can lead to growth and innovation.
Workers are being afforded more responsibility with no uplift in pay - but how commonplace are ‘dry promotions’? How do we decide the value of a job and therefore how much an employee gets paid? Does the UK have a work ethic crisis? And can you fail ‘intelligently’ or do mistakes always carry a risk?
In this episode CIPD Director of Profession David D’Souza is joined by Head of HR, UK Functions at HSBC, Elizabeth Harvey; and Senior VP HR Europe and Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Firstsource, Jo Carlin.
Recorded: 7 February 2025
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