How to Write a Promotion Letter

There are many ways to recognize an employee’s talent and thank them for the work they do. One of the most popular and recommended ways is to promote the said employee. Nothing stamps of excellence more than a promotion. Most times, when an employee is promoted, the promotion letter is either handed to them by the manager or HR. 

In this article, we’re going to explore what a promotion letter is, the dos and don’ts of promotion letters and how to write an effective promotion letter. 

What is a Promotion Letter?

A promotion letter is an official letter given to an employee to inform them that they’ve been promoted to another role in the same company. 

Before sending a promotion letter to an employee, it is normal for the boss to have spoken with the employee first. A promotion letter is not the first way an employee gets to know about their promotion. Before a promotion letter is given to an employee, all the details of the promotion must be discussed beforehand. 

Promotions come in different ways, all of these depend on the employee’s role, the reason for their promotion, and more importantly, the company. Promotion can come with a significant pay raise, or not. It can come with a new office, or not. The only consistent thing among most promotions is the change in the job title. 

Importance of Promoting an Employee

In this section of this article, we’re going to list more reasons why an employee should be promoted.

A promotion letter is:

• A renewed opportunity for the company to thank the employee for all the exceptional work they did that earned them the promotion. While promotion is essentially applauding an employee for all their hard work, it is important to also tell the employee this in the meeting that is had with them.  
• A promotion letter is another chance to confirm everything associated with the promotion. Does the promotion come with a new office, increased salary, etc.? All these are what should be confirmed in the promotion letter. 
• If there are new responsibilities associated with the position (which there usually is), it is important to make sure that all of them are listed in their entirety in the email. 
• A promotion letter is also sent for documentation purposes. Every employee has a file. So, when an employee is promoted, this promotion letter must be included in their file as well. 

How to Write a Promotion Letter

 We’ve explained what a promotion letter is, and the benefits of writing a promotion letter. Now, we’re going to discuss how to write an effective promotion letter. 

This goes without saying, but a promotion letter is also an official letter. This means there are important aspects of this letter that cannot be overlooked. These aspects are essential for every promotion letter and it’s going to be included in this letter. 

1. The letter should follow general email etiquette. This means the promotion letter must contain the employee’s full name, must be written in formal language, and must be free from errors. Everything listed above is true of professional letters and promotion letters are not exempted. 
2. State the employee’s new title. When an employee is promoted, it is normal for their job title to change. This must be mentioned in the promotion letter as it gives the employee a clearer understanding of the new position. Doing this also gives them the right information to make all the necessary changes to their social media profiles, signatures, networks, etc.
3. Gratitude should be translated in the email. A promotion is an extension of an employer’s gratitude. This gratitude should also be expressed in the promotion letter. If there are any major highlights in the person’s career that may have instigated the promotion, they should also be mentioned in the promotion letter. 
4. Promotion does not always come with a bump in salary. If there’s an increase in the employee’s salary, make sure to include it in this promotion letter. This includes benefits that come from both new bonuses and commissions. While this is one of the things that should also be discussed beforehand, it must be included in the letter as well. 
5. Include added responsibilities. With a promotion, an employee is entering a new role, and as such, the responsibility will be different from their previous roles. Settling into their new responsibilities may take some time, this is why reaffirming it in the letter is extremely important. 
6. Reinstate the chain of command if it is altered. After an employee is given a promotion, the reporting structure may change. This means if the employee was reporting to Manager A before the promotion, they may now be reporting to Manager B. Also, depending on the kind of promotion and the role, instead of reporting to a manager, the employee may be the one people report to. Having this reinstated in the letter helps ease the employee into it better and makes the transition smoother. 
7. Include the date the promotion goes into effect. This is common for most companies as they begin any new activity, hires, sacks, etc. So, if an employee receives a promotion letter in the middle of the month, it would be advised to state the exact date in the letter. 
8. Request a response to the letter. While the employee may already be aware of the promotion from the meeting that was had, asking for a response to the promotion letter is equally as important in terms of the employee’s files with the company. 

Letter of Promotion Template One

(Date) (First and last name of employee) (Company name) (City and state where the company is located) Dear (name), Congratulations on your promotion to (new job title) at (name of company). Your promotion comes in effect from (official start date). From the official start date, your new manager and job title is (name of their new manager and job title) and your new working hours are now (new working hours with the new role). Your new responsibility includes, (state new duties and responsibilities). If you need further clarifications on your duties and responsibilities, please reach out to your (new manager's name). Again, congratulations on your promotion. We are grateful for all the work you do and can’t wait to see what you'll accomplish in this new role. Kindly acknowledge this letter with a written response submitted to HR. Best regards, [Your name] [Your title] 

Letter of Promotion Sample One

July 17, 2022 Jacob Samuels Woculus Inc. Lagos, Los Angeles Dear Jacob, Congratulations on your promotion to Head of Content at Woculus Inc. Your promotion comes in effect from August 1, 2022. From the official start date, your new manager and job title are Wagbemiga Andre and your new job title is Head of content. Your new working hours are now 9-5 on Monday - Thursday and 9-12 on Friday. Your new responsibility includes interviewing new staff writers, proofreading and scheduling blog posts, handling all newsletters and making sure all the company only puts out top-notch content. For further clarifications on your duties and responsibilities, please reach out to your new manager, Wagbemiga Andre. Again, congratulations on your promotion. We are grateful for all the work you do and can’t wait to see what you'll accomplish in this new role. Kindly acknowledge this letter with a written response submitted to HR. Best regards, Bianca Cruz Head of Human Resources 

Letter of Promotion with Salary Increase Template One

(Your Name Here) (Business Address) (Company name) (City and state where the company is located) 123-555-6789 (Employee Name) (Employee address) Dear (Employee Name), This letter is to inform you of your promotion to (new position) which is effective from (date promotion is effective from). You can expect an annual salary of [salary], paid [pay schedule]. Please meet HR for more details concerning insurance, deductions, etc. As mentioned in our meeting concerning your promotion, this promotion is to commend you for the impeccable service you've been rendering to this company. You're a great addition to the team and we believe promoting you to the post of (new position) is the best course of action. Please meet with your new manager, (name of manager) to brief you on the role and all that is expected of you in this position. Congratulations again on your promotion. We wish you the best of luck in your new role. Kindly submit a written acknowledgement letter to HR. Best regards, [Your name] [Your title] 

Letter of Promotion with Salary Increase Sample One

Jim Blessed   123 Drive Avenue, Woculus Inc. Los Angeles, Timbuktu 123-555-6789 Joshua Seth 123 Avenue Lane  Dear Joshua,  This letter is to inform you of your promotion to Marketing Lead which is effective from October 1, 2023. You can expect an annual salary of $70,000, paid $5,833 monthly. Please meet HR for more details concerning insurance, deductions, etc.   As mentioned in our meeting concerning your promotion, this promotion is to commend you for the impeccable service you've been rendering to this company. You're a great addition to the team and we believe promoting you to the post of Marketing Lead is the best course of action.   Please meet with your new manager, Abraham Ayo, Marketing Director, to brief you on the role and all that is expected of you in this position.   Congratulations again on your promotion. We wish you the best of luck in your new role. Kindly submit a written acknowledgement letter to HR.  Best regards, Jim Blessed Chief Marketing Officer 

Conclusion

Writing a promotion letter with a salary increase or without does not have to be a hassle. In this article, we’ve listed everything that has to do with writing promotion letters and included some samples to help you write better promotion letters. 

Nothing fosters employee loyalty more than appreciating them for their work and one of the best ways to do that is by promoting them. 

The post How to Write a Promotion Letter appeared first on Woculus.

Ayo Oyedotun is a professional blogger and freelance writer. He reads, writes and talks about business. You can follow him on Twitter @Ayo_Oyedotun[http://twitter.com/#!/Ayo_Oyedotun] or read Business Owners’ Bible[http://woculus.com/].