Singaporeans lacking leadership skills

Half of bosses denying promotions due to a lack of ‘leadership potential’

Singaporeans lacking leadership skills

Over the past three years, one in three Singaporeans have been denied a promotion, according to a new study.

Half of bosses cite a lack of leadership potential as the top reason for denying promotions.

Other reasons include:

  • Lack of experience (45%)
  • Lack of soft skills (39%)
  • Better qualified internal candidates (26%)
  • Better qualified external hire (9%)

From decreased morale to dwindling motivation, it is apparent Singapore bosses recognise the potential negative impacts of denying promotions to employees. Consequently, leaders are implementing several measures to keep employees motivated.

READ MORE: How long do Singapore employees wait for a promotion?

More than half (52%) have let employees work within a different team while 48% have allowed them to shadow other employees.

Other common measures include giving the employee a unique project to work on (41%), delegating responsibilities (34%), calling for their input in challenging situations (26%) and providing training opportunities (20%).

“When candidates fail to secure a promotion, it is likely they will get demotivated, making it all the more important for businesses to take measures to ensure unsuccessful candidates don’t experience a loss of enthusiasm and decreased confidence in their professional abilities,” said Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, Managing Director of Robert Half Singapore.

“Involving team members in new projects and offering additional responsibilities are both solid examples of how to keep staff engaged and motivated, especially after having been denied a promotion.”