Promotions offer hidden risk and potential, study finds

A new report from the ADP Research Institute, titled Today at Work, has been released, most notably weighing the benefits and drawbacks of offering promotions to current employees. The job histories of more than a million U.S. workers was analyzed, searching for a relationship between receiving a promotion and leaving the company.

The responses revealed unintended consequences associated with promotions. Under certain conditions, promotions can impact businesses positively, yet the other side of the coin offers hidden setbacks that may follow certain employment advancement opportunities. Some underprepared workers may crack under the pressure of securing their new role in the company.

The survey noted that within a month after receiving their first promotion, 3 in 10 people parted ways with their employer. Had these workers not been promoted in the first place, only about 1 in 5 workers would have moved on. After a period of six months both newly promoted workers and those who had not been promoted had the same chance of leaving the company.