Getting passed over for a promotion can be frustrating, especially when you believe you were the most qualified candidate for the position. It can be even more concerning when you are a woman and the person selected is a male coworker with less experience and fewer accolades.
While a single promotion decision does not necessarily equal discrimination, certain circumstances surrounding the decision may raise questions about whether gender played a role in how the opportunity was handled.
When a promotion decision raises questions
Employees who believe they were passed over for a promotion because of their gender may want to look closely at the circumstances surrounding the decision. Research from MIT Sloan highlights how differences in the way employers evaluate employees can affect advancement. In a study of 30,000 management-track employees at a large North American retail chain, researchers found that women received higher performance ratings than their male colleagues on average, yet received lower ratings for their potential. As a result, women were 14% less likely to be promoted than their male colleagues.
These findings show why it may be important to consider whether an employer has a pattern of promoting men over similarly qualified women. Comments about women being too aggressive, difficult or unsuitable for leadership roles can also be relevant, particularly if they are connected to decisions about advancement.
Qualifications are another important consideration. An employee may want to document their performance reviews, accomplishments and other qualifications for the position. It can also be helpful to compare those qualifications with the qualifications of the employee who received the promotion. This does not necessarily prove discrimination, but significant differences may be worth documenting and discussing.
Employees may also want to pay attention to how the employer explains the decision. If management provides one reason for selecting the other employee and later gives a different explanation, that inconsistency can be important. Saving emails, messages and notes about conversations can help create a record of what happened. Keeping these records can be especially useful if similar promotion decisions have occurred in the past or continue to occur.
If you believe that you were denied a promotion because of your gender, learning more about your legal options can help you decide on your next move.