If an employee comes to work every day and meets their job requirements, are they automatically eligible for a promotion? Or are they expected to clock in extra hours and attend every company happy hour to move up?

The process of advancing within a company shouldn’t be an impossible puzzle for employees to solve by themselves. Looking at promotion rates over the last few years, leaders should assess how their companies determine who gets promoted and why, especially when there’s a clear racial and gender promotion gap.

U.S. companies aren’t advancing Black professionals at the same rate as they were a few years ago, according to the Wall Street Journal. A McKinsey report also shows that for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 54 Black women are given the same opportunity.

While companies put together Black History Month programs and culture initiatives, it’s crucial to pay attention to how historically excluded groups are supported beyond the month of February.

Promoting top talent is not just about recognizing hard work and dedication; it's also about ensuring fairness and equity. To create an equitable environment, companies must assess their current promotion process and implement systems that mitigate bias and ensure decisions are merit-based. Take a look at Perfeqta’s suggestions below.

Audit your current promotion system and address biases in the process

The first step to creating a more equitable process is to identify any systemic issues that may unfairly advantage or disadvantage certain groups.

• Collect and analyze data on promotion rates by demographics such as race, gender, age, disability, and other categories. Look for any disparities that may indicate certain demographic groups receive more or fewer promotions than others.
• Evaluate the processes and procedures used for promotions to identify any potential sources of bias or inequity. This may include how leaders and managers select candidates, how they measure performance, and how they provide feedback.
• Conduct interviews with employees, managers, HR, and Talent professionals involved in the promotion process to gather feedback on their experiences. Ask about any challenges or concerns they have with the current system.
• Assess whether or not employees are providing feedback on the promotion process or given the opportunity to raise concerns about the current system.

Establish a consistent rubric for measuring performance

Having clear criteria for evaluating employees’ performance reduces the potential for bias or favoritism when deciding who gets promoted. When all employees understand how they’re being assessed, this promotes a culture of trust at a company. Here’s where to start:

• Develop a transparent rubric for evaluating performance, such as measuring goal achievement, job-specific skills, collaboration, communication, and professional development.
• Review the rubric to ensure it’s fair and objective and can be applied to all employees.
• Train managers to effectively track employees’ professional development based on the rubric. Managers should also communicate the expectations for each role to all employees and how their performance will be measured. Set specific goals for employees to develop key skills relevant to their roles.
• Provide regular feedback to employees on their performance and progress, whether that’s in regular one-on-one meetings or quarterly performance reviews.
• Encourage employees to ask questions and voice concerns about expectations and how their performance is measured. Allow them to share feedback in meetings or through anonymous surveys.

Implement systems and processes to mitigate bias and promote transparency

Once a company creates a new rubric and shares it with employees, it’s crucial to develop systems and processes that help track progress and hold leaders accountable to their workplace goals. Here’s how:

• Set specific goals for improving promotion rates for historically excluded groups or any communities that are significantly underrepresented in leadership positions. Make sure these goals are aligned with performance goals to ensure promotions are merit-based.
• Automate the tracking process by using HR software to monitor promotion rates by demographic groups.
• Assign a diverse panel or committee to make promotion decisions to reduce bias.
• Provide unconscious bias training for everyone involved in the promotion process.
• Conduct regular audits on a quarterly and annual basis to identify any disparities in promotion rates.

• Create and publish an annual DEI transparency report that publicly shares the company’s DEI goals, current initiatives, and employee demographics broken down by job levels.

Create a high-performing work culture that supports employees’ growth and well-being

For employees to be set up for success, they need the tools and resources to do their best work. This requires companies to accomplish two main goals:

• Implement equitable policies and programs that promote belonging and psychological safety.
• Build talent management systems that prioritize employees’ professional development.

Our latest white paper "Reimagining the way we work" takes a closer look at how companies can put equity back into talent and build high-performing teams.

Download your copy here!