Team Member’s Promotion: Injustice or Promotion in Haste?

Abstract

This case illustrates the importance of organizational justice, interpersonal skills and the importance of having a fair and transparent promotion policy for its employees. It also emphasizes the need to have proper employee retention and promotion plans.

The case is about the lack of the team members’ confidence in their new boss Navin who was amongst them till a few months ago. It discusses how Navin, the newly promoted area sales manager from the sales manager position, cannot handle his team effectively. He was promoted as a retention tool so that he does not quit after he tendered his resignation to join the competitor’s organization. His boss Stephen had found him good in his present job and decided to retain him, knowing little about its repercussions. He also did not judge the suitability and ability of Navin to lead a team. After Navin’s promotion, his colleagues found that he had developed a superiority complex and did not behave properly with them. All this led to a lot of disharmony and resentment amongst the team members leading to dysfunctional consequences.