What Do You Do When Your Best People Are Ready for More But There’s No Promotion in Sight ?

You’re not alone if you’re feeling stuck. Right now, people leaders across scaling companies are navigating :

• Budget freezes and reorgs
• Stalled growth pathways
• High performers asking, “ What’s next for me ? ”

And the old ladder just doesn’t fit anymore. But here’s the truth: growth doesn’t have to mean a new title.

What Growth Looks Like Now

Your people aren’t expecting instant promotions. What they want is :

• Clarity on where they’re headed
• Stretch opportunities that challenge them
• Purpose in their day-to-day work

According to Gartner's 2024 HR research, internal development and mobility have now overtaken compensation as the #1 factor in retention. And still, only 20% of employees feel they have a clear career path.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Ignoring this shift leads to real consequences :

• Quiet quitting affects over 50% of today’s workforce (Gallup, 2023)
• Mid-level turnover can cost 50–200% of an employee’s annual salary (SHRM)
• Employees lacking purpose are 3x more likely to leave (McKinsey, 2023)

The real risk isn’t just turnover, it’s culture erosion, lost momentum, and missed potential.

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If You Can’t Offer a Promotion, Here’s What You Can Do

1. Start With Radical Transparency

Be honest about what is and isn’t available. Your people already sense it. Naming it builds trust.

2. Ask the Right Questions

Move beyond performance checklists. Try asking :

• What kind of work energizes you ?
• Where do you want more ownership ?
• What would meaningful growth look like right now to you ?

3. Co-Design Growth That Feels Real

When people can’t move up, help them move forward :

• Lead a cross-functional project
• Mentor or coach a peer
• Present work to senior leadership
• Design and facilitate a learning session
• Pilot a new tool or initiative

Try This Today

Small moves that send big signals :

• Visibility Round : Highlight someone’s impact publicly—in Slack, a team update, or a meeting
• 1:1 Audit : Devote your next check-in to growth, not output
• Stretch Inventory : Identify one project you could delegate or co-lead

What We’ve Learned at Inbo

At Inbo, our go-to approach for building adaptive, growth-ready teams is Open Systems Theory. It helps leaders create human-centered systems that support long-term engagement, even in the absence of promotions.

Here’s what that looks like in action :

• Elbow Room — The freedom to shape how they work, contribute, and grow. Autonomy is a cornerstone of engagement.
• Learning & Mastery — Opportunities to stretch, take on meaningful challenges, and receive thoughtful coaching.
• Belonging — A culture of trust and inclusion where people feel psychologically safe, seen, and valued.
• Visible Contribution — A clear connection between their work and the organization's mission. People want to know they matter.
• Influence — A voice in shaping decisions, projects, and team culture. When people are involved, they’re invested.

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When you create these conditions, your people don’t just stay, they expand. Even without a title change.