Reference no: EM133161890

Promotion from Within

Learning Goals

This case will allow to evaluate the impact of (in)effective employee relations on motivation and job performance. Pay particular attention to issues of perceived equity and also to expectation setting and how they each relate to motivation. Is this company's approach to internal recruitment likely to cause ongoing problems for them? If so, why?

The Scenario

The two interviewers leaned forward across the table and looked at Elisa intently. "We are very impressed with your résumé and your recently completed MBA," the HR manager stated, "but the client training role that we have available is entry level. With your 10 years of sales and training experience and your education, you seem rather overqualified and we are concerned."

Elisa shifted slightly in her seat then turned on her best smile as she answered the interviewer. "I do understand that I am overqualified for this job," she responded, "I have also heard that Kium Solutions is a really great place to work and I know your CEO has some really interesting ideas for moving the company forward. I think I could do a lot of good here and I am willing to start in an entry-level job to get in the door as long as there are other opportunities down the road." The interviewers glanced at each other and nodded. "Well that works for us," responded the HR manager. "You can start now and I am quite confident that something more challenging that better matches your qualifications will come up within a year or so." "That sounds great," said Elisa. "I look forward to coming on board."

Fifteen months later, Elisa was still in the entry-level training role, which saw her travelling to different client sites each day to train their new employees on how to use Kium's document management systems. Elisa was the first person with a degree in education who had served in the client trainer role. Her formal knowledge about teaching and learning had helped her make substantial improvements to the existing client training program. Elisa's manager had commented several times about the significant increases in client satisfaction ratings that they had observed. Clients were especially impressed that Elisa was so readily available to them-she even gave them her personal cellphone number. If they had a software question or problem at 9:00 p.m. or on a Saturday, Elisa would answer her phone and cheerfully help, something that was neither expected nor required. Elisa was sure that she had done everything she could to impress her new employers. As a result, she was particularly excited when her co-worker pointed out the new job that had been posted to the internal recruitment webpage (a special website for jobs posted internally with the intent of promoting from within).
The posting was for a newly created position, director of Training. Previously, the company only had client trainers (an entry-level job) and HR generalists who took care of all employee training. The new directorship would report to the VP of Sales, making it a highly prestigious position within the corporate hierarchy. The director would be responsible for improving initial staff orientation and the training received by new hires in the Sales department. Kium relied on its salesforce to grow its business. The director of Training would therefore be fulfilling an important role in the organization. Elisa could not be more delighted. After all, she had an MBA and a degree in adult education, plus she had over a decade of experience selling software solutions (although for companies other than Kium). In fact, it was her desire to get away from never-ending sales quotas and broaden her career choices that led her to pursue an MBA. Given her many qualifications and her record of strong performance, Elisa was confident that she would be a competitive candidate for the role.
Elisa sent in her résumé and, at the end of the application period, she was not the least bit surprised when she was called for an interview with the VP of Sales.

Elisa knew that she would have to explain why she was well qualified for the job. To prepare for the interview, she reread the strategic goals, vision, and mission of the company and thought carefully about how she could contribute. She even had her boyfriend ask her mock interview questions so that she could practise her answers. On the morning of her interview, although she felt prepared, she was also nervous. Then disappointment struck. The assistant to the VP of Sales called to say that the VP of Sales was no longer interested in interviewing her. After reviewing her résumé, he realized that she did not have enough direct experience in sales at Kium.

Elisa was stunned, wondering what on earth had happened. She could not believe that she would not even be given an opportunity to explain why she would be a good candidate for the job. She sent an email to the VP's assistant explaining her qualifications, but the assistant again confirmed that Elisa would not be permitted to interview for the job. Ultimately, Elisa went home an hour early that day, still distressed and bewildered. At 5:17 p.m. her cellphone rang. She saw that it was an important client who had recently purchased an expensive and complex solution from Kium. Just days ago, Elisa had promised the CEO at the client company that she would be there to answer questions and support their roll-out every step of the way. She looked again at the call display and at the time. She quietly looked away and let the call go to voicemail. The client could wait until Monday.

Discussion Questions

1. How would you explain the abrupt change in Elisa's customer service behaviour? Outline what has happened to her motivation using expectancy and equity theories.

2. Could Elisa's employer have anticipated the impact that cancelling the directorship interview might have on her future performance? What should her employer have done differently?

3. Elisa raised concern about being shut out of the directorship interview to the HR manager. What could the HR manager do now to help improve Elisa's motivation? Explain why your idea would be effective.