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A 'Quiet Promotion' Will Cost You a Lot — Use This Expert's 4-Step Strategy to Avoid It Ginni Saraswati, CEO and founder of podcast production house Ginni Media, reveals how to make sure you're not leaving any money on the table.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Courtesy of Ginni Media
Ginni Saraswati

"Quiet quitting" had its headline moment — but have you heard of "quiet promoting"?

You might not know it by name yet, but odds are you've encountered it in a professional setting before: when an employee starts getting more work or responsibilities in their role without additional compensation.

CEO and founder of podcasting production house Ginni Media Ginni Saraswati tells Entrepreneur that quiet promotions are detrimental in the workplace. Growing businesses require their employees' roles to grow with them, she says, and piling work onto top performers without fair pay is a sure path to burnout, resentment and turnover.

Related: Should You Wait to Get A Promotion, or Make a Lateral Move Inside Your Company?

The right way to promote an employee starts with a candid discussion. "Talk to the employee about their career path and what they want," Saraswati says. "This is a conversation that ideally should happen regularly even if it's not necessarily time for promotions."

But what if you're the employee who's worried that you might be on the receiving end of a quiet promotion?

Saraswati suggests a four-part strategy:

1. Check your job description

"Revisiting your job description is essential, especially during performance reviews which ideally occur once a year," Saraswati says. "Check your job description and note the tasks, duties or responsibilities that have been added to your role that are not included in your job description."

2. Research your salary

"Compare your current salary with similar positions at other companies in the city or area that you are in," Saraswati recommends. "Also, look at the compensation for the role senior to you and see if there's any correlation between the tasks you're doing and that particular role. Find at least three examples, preferably in similar industries."

3. Consider if a promotion is what you really want

"Are you happy in this company, and do you want to continue to work for them? Is more money what you want, or is it more time off or flexible working arrangements? It's really important to think about what your desires are. If you're not happy at this company, at least you have now done the research to see what you could be earning elsewhere for the work you're currently doing," Saraswati says.

4. Schedule a meeting with your direct manager

"You're prepared," Saraswati says. "You've got your original job description. You've researched comparable salaries, and you've thought about what you'd like in exchange for the additional duties, tasks and responsibilities you're taking on. Present this information to your direct [manager] from an angle of negotiation, affirming what is important to you."

And one last thing to seal the deal? Saraswati suggests asking your manager for a timeline on their answer and holding them to it — and setting a timeline for yourself too.

Related: These Easy Tips Can Help You Get a Promotion or Raise

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

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