Moving Up in HR? What Leaders Should Know

Being promoted is a fantastic milestone. It signals progression, recognition, and trust your employer has placed confidence in your ability to lead at a higher level. For HR professionals, this step forward is both exciting and demanding. While it opens doors to influence and impact, it also brings new challenges worth considering.

1. Managing Former Peers

One of the first hurdles is transitioning from colleague to manager. You may now lead people who were once your peers.

• Set clear boundaries early, while maintaining respect and empathy.

• Avoid favoritism consistency builds credibility.

• Communicate openly about the shift, acknowledging the change without overexplaining.

  2. Workload and Role Clarity

  Promotions often come with expanded responsibilities. But if your previous role hasn’t been backfilled, you risk doing two jobs at once.

• Clarify expectations with leadership about what tasks remain yours and what should be delegated.

• Push for resourcing where necessary sustainable performance requires realistic workloads.

• Remember: overextension can lead to burnout, which undermines both you and the team.

  3. Visibility and Accountability

  With promotion comes proximity to senior leadership. You’re closer to the CEO and executive team, which means:

• Greater accountability for both successes and failures.

• Increased scrutiny of HR decisions, policies, and outcomes.

• The need to balance strategic vision with operational delivery.

  This visibility is a chance to showcase HR as a strategic partner, but it also requires resilience when things don’t go to plan.

4. Are You Being Rewarded Properly?

Research shows that external hires are often paid more than internal promotions, even though internal candidates tend to perform better and stay longer. This pay gap can lead to frustration if not addressed.

• Some companies even delay full salary adjustments until employees prove themselves for a year.

• This pay gap can create frustration and disengagement.

• HR professionals should benchmark their salaries against market rates and proactively discuss compensation with leadership.

Promotion is a career highlight, and it reflects your employer’s faith in your abilities. By being mindful of these challenges managing peers, clarifying workload, embracing visibility, and ensuring fair reward you can turn this achievement into the foundation for many more. With foresight and confidence, your promotion will be the latest of many career milestones.