December 7, 2023
By Arlene S. Hirsch
A 2023 survey by Salary.com found that 37 percent of U.S. employers gave employees “dry” promotions in the past year — or promotions without an accompanying pay raise. This is up from 34 percent in 2022 and 32 percent in 2021.
These newly promoted workers got a title change and additional responsibilities, but no salary increase. While employers may see dry promotions as a sign that they recognize and value their employees, many employees view it differently.
“A dry promotion is better [for many] than no promotion at all because it’s a resume builder that the employee can use to find a better-paying job.”
— Julie Jansen, career and executive coach in Stamford, CT
Before his dry promotion to inventory manager, Jason (who asked that his last name not be used) considered himself a loyal, hard-working team player who was always willing to go the extra mile for his employer. But when he found out that his promotion did not come with a salary increase, his commitment began to wane—and within six months, he found a new job with a company that was willing to pay him what he considered fair market value for his work…
Arlene S. Hirsch is a career counselor and author in Chicago.
READ MORE… continue reading this article on SHRM.org (Society for Human Resources Management).