Michelle: This is the story of Bill, who wrote to tell us that he’s losing hope. He’s been working for a big and very prominent family business in Cebu. He said he is in his early 40s and has been doing very well in his work. Performance bonuses and consistent good reviews through the years will show that. However, Bill says that it seems like he’ll never get promoted to a higher executive role unlike his contemporaries. Bill suspects that the reason he is not “promotable” is because the “big boss” is a devout Catholic. According to Bill, his sexuality and gender preference have been suspect to speculation. But Bill says he is not “ladlad” nor promiscuous. What should he do? Should he talk to his boss? His boss, by the way, is female. I think it will be difficult to speculate that his sexuality and gender preference are the reasons why he won’t be promoted. Maybe his time has not come yet. Maybe there are other qualified and more senior officers.
DJ: I suggest for Bill to initiate a career discussion with his boss. And it helps to come confident and prepared. Be ready with these two things—his short-term and long-term objectives. The promotion he seeks is an example of a long-term objective. His short-term objective is like a career milestone he wants to close within the next 12 months. These will clarify the direction he wants to go, allowing him and his boss to also agree on the developmental steps to reach these objectives. It’s also likely that from such discussion, he’ll have a more solid footing on whether his gender identity, indeed, is the one in question or not.
M: Sexual preference and gender identity shouldn’t be a reason to discriminate someone, especially in the workplace. If one is a professional who has the attitude and skills to get the job done, one’s identity or orientation should not be an issue. Sad to say, there are still instances of discrimination in the workplace. Although it may not be very overt in “gender sensitive” work settings, there can be discrimination, and not just with one’s sexual orientation. But one cannot and should not discount the possibility that promotion hinges not just on work performance but also on the preferences and essentials of the appointing authority. It would be unfair for Bill to think that his female boss, who is a devout Catholic, is discriminating him unless there are very clear signs of discrimination. Might it be better if Bill reassess his attitude rather than just his performance?
DJ: Employee discrimination happens when someone is treated unfavorably at work because of his gender, for example. But promotion is not a demandable right. It is a management prerogative. Thus, his predicament has a lot of grey area. I’m not a lawyer so it’s best that he consults one in case he wants to pursue the legal route. What I can suggest, though, is for him to take ownership of his own career progression instead of relying on his boss. And this is true for everyone who feels their career is on the sidelines. It’s not wise to wait for someone to come and pull you out. This person has to be you. Bill said he’s been with this company for long. I guess the time has come for him to go and ask. And if he’s not getting feedback, then he’ll have to proactively start the conversation and take it from there.
M: It would be better if he asks HR, for example, what are the areas he needs to improve on or if there are opportunities for him to take bigger responsibilities. Since he did say it is a family corporation, it will also be good for Bill to review the company’s and the owners’ family’s mission and vision and to see if it aligns with what he believes is his future in the company. If he is happy with his job, then the promotion can wait. If he is unhappy with his job, I think he should not make his employer’s beliefs or faith as a reason why he thinks he deserves more. Ultimately, it’s not just about him or what he feels. Like love, one’s profession or work is a decision. You decide to commit to it whether you feel like doing it or not doing it.
DJ: Injustice, at times, is in the eye of the beholder. It matters that he sees his situation as accurately as possible. Then he’ll be in a better situation to make these two choices—change his situation or change how he’ll look at it.