Job roles often extend beyond their formal descriptions, involving tasks like organizing events, training new staff, or facilitating team gatherings. While many willingly take on these responsibilities in the spirit of teamwork, doing so may inadvertently hinder their career advancement and also overall financial success.
A 2022 study by researchers at MIT, Yale and the University of Minnesota found women received higher average performance ratings than male employees but received 8.3% lower potential ratings than men. The result was that female employees were, on average, 14% less likely to be promoted than their male colleagues, contributing to the gender pay gap.
Women are still earning 82% of what men do, up from 80% in 2002. If you’re overlooked for the promotion and make 20 percent less, for example, it won’t be so easy to make it up in the next job. Or the next. You will be in a continual state of catchup. It’s not just a lost opportunity to earn for the next few years, it’s also less money to invest in our retirement, which compounds exponentially over the years.
One of the reasons for this gender gap in promotion is the type of work women perform. Linda Babcock, founder and director of the Program for Research and Outreach on Gender Equity in Society (also known as PROGRESS) and the author of The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work, says one of the main reasons women do not get promoted as often as men is because we are not participating in “promotable work.”
Babcock’s research found that women volunteer for “non-promotable” tasks more often than men, are more frequently asked to take on such tasks, and are more likely to say yes to these requests.
So what is promotable work, and how do you ensure you’re not relegated to doing non-promotable work?
Promotable work highlights an individual’s skills, competencies, and potential for leadership roles. These are highly visible tasks and projects that directly impact the company’s success and bottom line.
For example, leading high-impact projects that contribute significantly to the company’s strategic goals, such as launching a new product, entering a new market, or implementing a cost-saving initiative, is promotable work. Promotable work also includes identifying and solving critical business challenges, building strategic partnerships, leading or participating in organizational change plans, and implementing or initiating strategies that drive sales growth, reduce costs, or improve operational efficiency.
Non-promotable work, on the other hand, refers to tasks and responsibilities that are necessary for the day-to-day functioning of an organization but have a limited impact on its long-term success or strategic goals.
Non-promotable work is administrative work like processing paperwork, organizing files, planning parties, training new employees, or handling other organizational tasks that are essential for smooth operations but are not directly tied to strategic goals. It also includes basic customer service, data entry, or maintenance and upkeep of equipment and facilities.
Non-promotable work may contribute to the organization’s overall performance but typically has a smaller, less direct impact on key business outcomes.
When women are asked to take on non-promotable work, they should consider whether it is a one-time task or if it is likely to become a recurring expectation. If it is a one-time task, consider fulfilling the request to demonstrate your commitment and flexibility as a team player. In turn, negotiate an opportunity to offset the time spent with a promotable project or task that will contribute more significantly to your career growth, your financial well-being, and the organization’s success.
You also want to ensure that your manager understands your career aspirations and interests, emphasizing your desire to contribute to high-impact projects and initiatives that align with the company’s strategic goals.
Lastly, you want to set boundaries. Politely decline non-promotable work if it will significantly detract from your ability to focus on promotable tasks, explaining the reasons behind your decision and offering alternatives, if possible.
This way, you can ensure that you demonstrate your talents where they will have the most impact, draw positive attention, and help you get promoted to the next-level position. This in turn, will allow you to earn more money and set you up for a better financial future.
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