Demotion occurs when an employer assigns an employee to a lower position. The new place often has fewer responsibilities and less pay. If your employer has demoted you or you are worried about this issue, understanding the situation ahead and how to overcome the problems caused by it will be helpful. This article explains the possible reasons for job demotion, how to deal with it, and whether it is legal.
What are the possible reasons for job downgrading?
No employer can change the terms of employment without the employee’s consent. Such changes are allowed only if it is mentioned in the employment contract, the employee is satisfied with it, or there are legal reasons for doing so. In this situation, there may not be a change in terms of title and position, but in practice, new responsibilities and duties show that the job rank of the employee has been degraded. In any case, nothing should be against the employee’s consent or his contract.
1. Poor performance at work
One of the main reasons for demotion of an employee is his poor performance. If an employee acts against his contract or does not comply with its clauses, the employer usually warns him first. If the employee does not pay attention to these warnings, his job rating will decrease. Although this is unpleasant, the employer wants to keep the employee in his company or organization instead of firing him.
2. Company restructuring
Sometimes the structure of companies changes. In such a situation, the company’s leadership is reorganized regarding activity, hierarchy, or ownership. These actions may have various reasons, including:
- poor performance of the company and its managers;
- excessive debts of the company;
- pressure from competition with other companies;
- company merger;
- Company purchase by another company.
This restructuring may lead to the reallocation of many responsibilities, the combination or separation of old units, and the addition of new positions and responsibilities for employees.
In this situation, an employee may be demoted even though he did nothing wrong. The new structure and hierarchy of the organization may require him to be transferred to another team or department, and as a result, he will have a lower job position. If two companies merge, there will be more likely to be many people with similar job positions. In this case, the demotion of some of them is preferable to their dismissal.
3. The organizational post will disappear
Even if an employee performs at his best, the company may decide to fire him. This may result from company restructuring, new ways of doing things, or even the introduction of new technologies that replace human labor.
For example, managers of a company may outsource some job duties. The result is that those responsible for performing those duties before becoming unemployed. If the employee in question has valuable skills and experiences, the manager may keep him in the company despite the redundancy of the job position. In this case, the best possible thing is to demote the employee instead of firing him.
4. Employee misconduct
If an employee does something wrong, demotion will be disciplinary action. If this misconduct is not so bad that he is fired or the company has employed the employee in question for a long time, and the employer wants to give him another chance, the probability of demotion increases.
Misconduct is behavior that violates workplace rules or the rights of others, from corporate bullying to damaging company or organization property.
How to deal with job demotion?
1. Talk to your supervisor
A practical first step is to approach your manager or supervisor. Talk to him to find out why you were downgraded. Doing this will determine whether or not you were to blame for this situation and why it happened. Even if you know why this is happening, it is better to talk to him. He probably has more information. For example, if a performance or disciplinary error has occurred, he will help you understand what went wrong and how you can prevent such mistakes from happening in the future.
2. Evaluate the options ahead
Choosing one of the possible options depends on the reason for the job downgrade. If your poor performance causes it, it is better to find ways to perform better. Talking to your supervisor will help you understand ways to improve your performance and show your commitment to the company. In case of disciplinary action, try to correct yourself and avoid repeating the problem in the future.
In addition, through a conversation with the supervisor, you can learn the necessary skills for job promotion and try to acquire those skills.
If the reason for the downgrading is the restructuring of the company or the elimination of the organizational post, you have two options:
- Trying to reach a higher position in the new hierarchy;
- I am looking for other job opportunities and resigning.
3. protest
You can appeal if you think your downgrade was unfair and have enough evidence to prove it. No one can fire or demote you without a valid reason. If your performance has been good and you have had no disciplinary issues or breach of contract, you can file a complaint against your employer.
Reading and checking the contract is better to ensure you haven’t missed anything. If you believe the terms are unfair or discriminatory, the best course of action is to seek the advice of experienced legal counsel. In this situation, no one can help you as much as a legal expert or a lawyer active in the field of labor law.
4. Improve your job skills
Depending on the reason for the job downgrade, there are different skills you need to learn. Learning these skills will help you find a new or better job position within or outside your company. You can improve your soft skills if the demotion is due to disciplinary action. Good communication skills, empathy, critical thinking, and similar skills will help you avoid making mistakes in the workplace and demonstrate that you can make a positive difference.
If the downgrading eliminates the organizational post or restructuring the company, you can consider a new job position. After that, you need to acquire the necessary skills for that position and research the ways to develop these skills. You may need to take different training courses.
5. Ask a psychologist for help
Job demotion is painful. In this situation, you probably feel rejected or unwanted and think no one knows your strengths. So talking to friends, family, or psychological counselors outside of work about your feelings can help you cope. As with any loss in life, you need to take some time to come to terms with your emotions before moving on.
you say
Job demotion is generally illegal without a valid reason and the employee’s consent. However, in such a situation, you should keep calm and think of ways to cope. Most of the time, improving your skills can help you get a promotion.
Has this ever happened to you? What have you done in this situation? In your opinion, how can you deal with job demotion?
