Almost 60 per cent of human resources managers said they’ve seen an employee demoted at their organization, according to a new survey by OfficeTeam.
The survey, which queried more than 300 HR managers and 1,000 office workers in Canada, found 52 per cent of HR managers cited poor performance as the reason for the demotion. Twenty per cent of respondents said the demotion was voluntary, while 16 per cent said it was due to organizational restructuring or the elimination of a position and 11 per cent said the employee wasn’t succeeding in a new role.
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When being demoted, 52 per cent of professionals said they tried to handle the news gracefully, while 40 per cent said they became upset and lost interest in work and 18 per cent said they subsequently quit their job.
“However difficult it may be to move into a lower position, it can also be an opportunity for workers to re-evaluate what they really want out of their careers,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for OfficeTeam, in a news release. “By understanding the basis for the demotion and focusing on professional development and growth, employees may find greater job satisfaction and better position themselves for advancement in the future.”
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