In some companies there is a large number of employees doing the same work for the same pay, in line with the grade they were hired at. These companies have a significant number of employees at this functional level who find it hard to grow professionally, because the company’s need for employees at that level outweighs the opportunities for promotion. This system breeds demotivation and disillusionment in day-to-day work.
Sometimes, when a vacancy opens at a higher grade, a large number of people could fill it. Internal promotion exams (oposiciones internas, modelled on the competitive exams used for public-sector jobs in Spain) were created to award promotions fairly and equitably.
Internal promotion exams and their phases
These are training-based processes made up of several parts, whose aim is to promote the employees who pass them. They benefit the employees who pass the tests with financial recognition and with motivation to go through further processes. In many cases the employees stay in the same job, and what they earn is simply recognition of their effort and commitment to the company.
Any internal exam process must have a selection panel, usually made up of someone from Human Resources, a representative of the works councils (employee representative bodies) and members of other departments, to ensure fairness and equity throughout the process.
The points system deserves a separate mention: the points a candidate earns in each phase of the exam and the total score needed to pass. This system can be very specific and differ from one company to another.
An internal exam process is made up of these parts:
- Theoretical and practical training
- Professional performance in the job
- Other factors to take into account
Theoretical and practical training
This is a series of training activities that prepare employees for positions of greater responsibility. They may be linked to the job they currently do, or cover the company’s own production processes.
The training can be face-to-face, online or by distance learning, and it should be scheduled from the start of the exam process. The benefit for the company is a better-trained workforce for its day-to-day operations.
Professional performance in the job
This part depends on how developed the company’s Human Resources function is, and it can vary greatly from one exam process and company to another. Some examples that can be applied are specific information on the candidate’s professional abilities, based on a detailed, standardized report from their immediate supervisor. Another option is the performance evaluation from previous years, if there is one.
The different job content of each employee who sits the exam will be scored fairly and equitably, so that positions and professional content within the same company can be compared on equal terms.
The benefit for the company is knowing which employees have the most potential: those who have developed stronger professional skills and could grow further within the company in the short and medium term.
Other factors to take into account
Length of service with the company, the training activities completed and the employee’s professional development are some of the guidelines that can be set as criteria for the exams.
All parts of the exam process must be established in advance, and candidates must be kept informed at all times about how the process is going and what their options are.
Featured image: The Official CTBTO Photostream, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
