What should I do if I'm being demoted at work?

#demotion #constructivedismissal #jobsearch

What should I do if I’m being demoted at work? Being demoted, or taking a step back in your career can be one of the toughest things to navigate as a professional. On top of this, conversations around the topic of demotion aren’t always transparent.

For example, an employer might offer you a demotion, or a constructive dismissal, without ever saying those words. covers what you should do, and what you shouldn’t do if you are being demoted. Plus, you will get some specific tips to manage a demotion meeting and the necessary follow up to maximize the outcome that you want.

⬇️ Get job openings from top employers ⬇️

0:00 Intro
0:20 Alannah’s story (demoted from her position of District Manager)
1:14 Offered a position she held years ago
1:57 Losing benefits
2:26 Why you shouldn’t accept a demotion in the meeting
3:20 When things don’t feel right, they probably aren’t right
3:43 How to regain control after the demotion meeting
3:47 Have you ever been demoted? Leave a comment.
4:00 Why Alannah’s situation is sketchy
4:38 Understanding constructive dismissal
4:57 HR’s perspective on the demotion meeting
5:40 A productive way forward after the demotion meeting
6:05 Tip 1: Determine if you were really demoted
6:33 Clear signals of a demotion
7:35 Tip 2: Ask for your new job offer in writing
9:20 Tip 3: Know what you want and take action
10:20 Ask questions to make sure you fully understand your options
10:55 The exact email to send when following up on the demotion meeting
11:50 You might be eligible for a severance package
11:56 Follow Alannah’s example and don’t accept the new role in the demotion meeting
13:30 Outro
___

About Shauna Cole

I know first-hand that injustice shows up in the workplace in lots of ways. It’s those vague but powerful prejudices that run like currents below the surface of office politics. It's wrong. But so is perpetuating the dishonesty that bias is history. So, I’ve taken my experiences to create a job board and content that focuses on inclusion.

I’m an award-winning University Instructor, MBA, Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and Senior Certified Human Resources Professional (SHRM-SCP) with over 20 years' professional Human Resources experience.

As seen: CBC, LinkedIn News, The University of New Brunswick, The Canadian HR Reporter, Motherly, Working Mother, Huddle, The Maritime Edit, Fairygodboss, Jobscan and more.

[melc]

Thank you so much for this content. This is happening to me right now. I was told on Friday and asked to change for Monday and to a new location. I want to eliminate my emotions, stick to the facts, and understand my options available. I didnt know if I had rights legally...and I really like this option of putting everything in writing. Ive been with the company going on 16 years and I never saw this coming and dont want to burn any bridges. You are a blessing.

[accountcompromised]

I am currently being mobbed at work. The other day I overheard a discussion regarding me where someone asked the manager if they were going to fire me the manager then replied "No, Im going to get her to quit." Today when I contacted my manager regarding next weeks schedule she told me that Im not on the schedule next week because there is a lowered budget for the shifts. Thank You for creating this very informative video because I feel like oftentimes the best and brightest employees tend to subtly be eased out of the workplace.

[Prince_]

This just happened to me. Was the intake supervisor at a law firm. Now I’m being asked to be a “lead specialist”. Luckily my pay didn’t get docked however I don’t command the respect I once did. Not cool man. Highly considering finding a new job.

[Pinkkermit]

My boss pulled me in the office and told me that I had a choice of stepping into an older role I was in or be separated. He listed all these wonderful reasons why I should do it..( wonderful in his eyes ) . I took the demotion only because I cant not have a job. I am really upset thought. Been with the company for over 20 years worked my butt off to get where I wanted. it really really hurts.

[MaryPoppins-dk]

Having a demotion can be a good thing. Less responsibility and less stress. It is better than no job

[shacaramalone]

I was demoted today. I'm a team leader at work. And have been for 7yrs. I always done what was asked of me and more. The company hire a new manager who did not want as a team leader. Because my co leader were not happy that I made more income than them. Being that I out worked them! But, I'm ok with it. Time to pursue other options because not I feel like I have target on my back. Sometimes change is good!

[christinaliu]

This happened to me today. I was on 12 month secondment as a team leader. New manager came onboard and they don’t need a team leader so decided to cut early 4 months early. So I go back to a substantive role which is a pay cut and loss of responsibilities

[Zzzzzzzzaa]

That's a really great video! Im just going through this. My manager called me today and set up a meeting for us to have a chat. Im working as an accredited paralegal in this company since 4 years and have 12 years of experience in my field. The company needs more secretaries to do the dull work so they want to move me from Legal department to there. As a backburner they told me I can take one thing i'm doing now with me (one small admin job, wow) and they might use me for legal work if they need to but it feels like a demotion to me. I was hired as a paralegal by legal department due to my career and experience and now they just want to move me without really looking at my career path. I do very well where i am and got highest marks on year end review as i pick up many jobs and cover for others. Tomorrow they will tell me about it and in consequence I will loose my accreditation and continuity in work experience. I am fully qualifying next year too and i need my legal work for that too... this will be interrupted. Little to say I am the only foreign person in the department (young, non native speaker) and in the history on this dept no one else was put in this position.

[istvanpraha]

I took a demotion it’s not always a tragedy. TBH other people are causing more problems than me. For example the person who took my job lacks some skills so people keep coming to me and it feels like a battle

[nicholebennett]

I’ve been in the same role with the same company for 11 years. My dept acquired a new manager who has come in and changed my role completely. She now states that she doesn’t think that I’m able to keep up with the pace in which she wants to take the dept and had suggested a lesser role (maternity leave) in another department. She cites a decline in my performance, which I know to be true, due to burnout on a specific account for which she refuses to offer any reprieve, though I’ve requested help numerous times. I know I can’t continue in my current role but I do not want to voluntarily quit. Looking for some advice.

[yesboy]

I got demoted today and my boss sent someone else to tell me. Unfortunately I am in the middle of getting my bachelors degree and feel like I can’t afford to leave because I do get paid well. Should I hold on?

[Zorrocovers]

My mom is going through this same situation but when her boss talked to her and told her she was being demoted and that her salary and job title were going to change she went along with it because she didn’t know about her rights and how to handle this situation. When they had this meeting her boss never gave her anything in writing saying she was being demoted and that her salary and job title were going to change, this was all a verbal exchange. So now it’s been a couple of months and she’s being written up for insubordination, when she was under the impression that her new job title meant that she was in charge of the of the kitchen area in which she works. She was written up because the new manager who came in to help split up the responsibilities that my mom had before she was demoted put her on the schedule to work in a different part of the building as a crew member, pretty much undermining her job title as the head of the kitchen and it’s staff, so she told him no, she was not going to go up there to work when she already has her own responsibilities and projects that need to be overseen and completed by her, and that she was a manager not a crew member. So he went and told on her and got her written up, and now they’re saying that she isn’t really a manager and that she had to listen to the new guy. They’re changing the terms of her demotion out of the blue and making her feel like crap for trying to stand up for herself. I’m not sure what she can do at this point, should she try and get a severance? Or should she write her manager an email telling her she doesn’t except this demotion because the terms they agreed upon are now being changed at their convenience? Or has too much time gone by since she was initially demoted to do anything about it?

[adrianjackan]

I believe I was demoted my team was take away from me due to me pushing them to hard and how my approach was. But it reality we all have a job to do and sometimes you need to push your team for greatness mind you my team consisted of interns they weren’t real permanent employees and this was their first jobs kids I might add they complain to there school school contracted my hr department and told them that as long as I am a supervisor they will not be sending any co-ops to our job however HR was nice enough to let me keep my pay and benefits are still the same nothing was changed. Then transition me into a different position but I’m not sure how I feel about that? Please help … This past week I’ve been doing the new role I’ve been thinking about my career path at the same time I do like being in the managerial roles what do I do?

[talithaladucer]

I went from one position to taking on more responsibilities in another position, great right!? Well I didn’t get a formal offer and I wasn’t compensated. When I asked for a formal title change and compensation several months later I was demoted back to my original position!

[JeanineCiecko]

I’ve been w a med size private company since its inception 26 years. I was #2 under owner for 20 yrs. A new owner has come on board and been her direct for 5 yrs. She has suddenly hired an outside CFO, and he has hired someone in order to split my role, all without consulting me. I am HR btw. So now she wants me to move all my accnt duties (and my reports) to new employee. But I feel she is pushing me out, and my reports have been extremely upset. I will ask for a new job description? And confirm benefits. I’d like to just ask for severance, but maybe it will be more clear w clear definitions. Thank you.

[cassaundra]

I was an entry level pm by accident and now a older man came to take on a capillera jobs mind you he can’t use a computer at all but I took some bad pictures and sent a few emails with out prof reading first . He told me he wants me to go to other departments mind you that are at the moment struggling.. and learn the products and materials we use and help with state paper work with a dollar raise ?

[definitelyslytherin]

I’m a little confused about this. I think I got demoted in my current position. I was told today that I am going back to my old position that I started in the company because I had left for medical leave due to covid. Someone took over that prior role and now I’m in a physically taxing position that doesn’t bode well with my pre existing health condition.

[abramaguayo]

I’ve been at my warehouse for going on 12 yrs I was put in a lead position in 2018 with promises of good raise and future supervision role. Then COVID came and none of that came then early 2021 I was moved to another department in a lesser role (not in leadership). No change in pay but I’m no longer in a lead position. Now I’m taking orders from people that I was giving orders to. I want to quit but I can’t.

[dlisinch]

This kind of situation is common in a dynamic company struggling for profitability, and or survival. They never replaced her in her present role as district manager, so the reasoning is probably legit at this point. It's a cost cutting measure, or they have somebody else waiting in the wings that's better to move into her position. Someone else that can do a better job of adding to the bottom line. In some company's, like the one I worked for, I've seen it happen at different levels of the organization over the 34 years I was there. Most took the demotion and got "red circled" in pay. Reasoning, probably not to lose their preferred pension plan in quitting and going somewhere else. The person discussed in this situation has a choice, take the demotion or negotiate a severance package, with or without a lawyer. If she wants to climb the corporate ladder, she'll need to do that somewhere else. This is very clear.

[lindseymichelle]

My manager gave a promotion not long ago all of the sudden they are putting me back where I was years ago 17 years working at my retail store