They say
What to say when an employee says they already do the higher-level job: “I’ve already been doing the job.”
When an employee says they already do the higher-level job, compare the work they do consistently, the decisions they make without approval, the people affected, and the consequences with the full role—not isolated stretch assignments.
Your response
“You may already be doing parts of the job. Let’s compare that with the full role: what you are responsible for every day, which decisions you make without approval, how many people depend on those decisions, and what happens when they go wrong.”
First, check this
Have you given the employee sustained higher-level ownership and decision rights without recognition, or have they completed only selected stretch assignments?
Why this works
Doing some higher-level tasks may demonstrate readiness, but isolated stretch work is not always the same as carrying the full role. Compare work done consistently, decisions made without approval, difficult situations handled, people affected, and consequences when decisions go wrong. The same test may also show that the employee has already been carrying the larger job without the title.
Don’t say
“Doing some of the work doesn’t mean you’re ready.”
If they push back again
“So I should stop doing those extra things, then?”
You could say
That’s your call, and I’d rather you didn’t. Let’s list what you’re doing beyond your role, and I’ll tell you honestly which of it counts toward promotion and which doesn’t.
After the conversation
- List the higher-level work the employee does, noting how often and with what decision rights, and agree on the list with them.
- If they’ve carried parts of the bigger role for months, raise an acting title or extra pay with HR.
- Agree which missing parts of the full role they’ll take on next, and set a review date within six months.
Questions managers ask
Should employees be paid more for doing work above their grade?
When it’s sustained and substantial, it’s a fair question, and many organizations have a way to handle it, such as an acting allowance. Check what yours offers. Occasional stretch work is usually part of development. Months of carrying a senior role’s full weight without recognition is something you should raise before it becomes normal.
What if they really are doing the full job already?
If so, the gap is in recognition, and you should act on it. Gather the evidence, take it to whoever decides on grading or promotion, and tell the employee what you’re doing and when you’ll know more. If no role is available, say so and talk about what you can change in the meantime.
How can an employee show they’re ready for a bigger role?
By consistently handling the hardest parts of it, which are rarely the most visible ones. Agree with them which decisions and responsibilities matter most in the bigger role, and give them real authority over one or two of them. Several months of evidence under real stakes is much stronger than a list of occasional extras.