4 Tips for Handling Employee Promotions in a Virtual Workspace

Your remote team is doing well, hitting its deadlines and meeting its quotas. But there’s one remote employee on your team who is truly going above and beyond the call of duty, and you’d really like to acknowledge his efforts with a promotion.

Handling employee promotions in a remote environment isn’t very different from conducting them in a traditional office. But there are a few best practices to follow.

Here are four tips for handling employee promotions in a virtual workspace:

Consider your candidate.

There are many factors that go into a promotion, both in-office and virtual. You should consider the employee’s overall performance, how long he’s been with the company, the qualifications that would entitle him to a promotion, as well as when his last promotion was. This can help you determine who on your team deserves to be promoted to a better position.

Know your company’s rules.

Promotions can be conducted in a variety of situations. Your company might have promotions based on length of time of service. Or a promotion might be given when an employee has an increase in duties or given due to an urgent situation. Know what your company’s stance is on promotions before you pitch it to your own boss.

Make the connection.

When it comes to something as important as a promotion, you don’t necessarily want to do it via instant message or email. A promotion, after all, is a special occasion and should be treated accordingly. Try to personalize the process as much as possible, even if you are in a remote work environment.

You should send an email requesting a virtual meeting with your employee that you’d like to hold either by phone or videoconference (just make sure that your worker knows he’s not in trouble, or else he might panic!) Set up a time that works for both of you—Friday afternoons are a good option.

Share the news.

If you promote any member of your team, you definitely need to share the information with other employees, too. You might opt to share the info on a team call or via email, but it should be done sooner rather than later. If you delay telling your team, it could create animosity amongst your group. And when you do inform your remote workers of the promotion, let them know exactly why this employee received his promotion, citing specifics to back up your decision. That will help assuage any potential hurt feelings and will also show your team that they have something to strive for, too.

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