In any professional environment, the announcement of a promotion or a new title often triggers complex emotional responses among colleagues. While the recipient might feel validated and enthused, others may experience unexpected and occasionally intense feelings of resentment. This reaction, although common, is one most organisations rarely address openly. When left unaddressed, these emotions can fester, disrupt team cohesion, and potentially undermine productivity.
Resentment following such organisational changes often stems from multiple sources. For some, it may be a sense of perceived injustice — a belief that the promoted individual was less deserving. Others might feel overlooked despite their contributions, lifetime tenure, or experience. In certain cases, the change signals to an employee that their career growth has plateaued, leading to frustration or a loss of motivation. Importantly, resentment may not be vocalised, but it often manifests in subtle behaviours — reduced collaboration, increased passive-aggression, or even a quiet withdrawal from team interactions.
Understanding the psychological undercurrents at play is vital. At its core, resentment is a form of grief — grief for what someone thought they were entitled to but did not receive. This emotional complexity means that resolving resentment isn’t simply about justifying decisions or offering clearer communication. It requires a sensitive, structured, and human-centric approach. Mediation is uniquely positioned as an effective tool to navigate such emotions constructively.
The Role of Mediation in Restoring Trust and Cohesion
When handled with care and intentionality, mediation can transform a workplace marred by jealousy, confusion, or perceived unfairness, into one renewed with understanding, mutual respect, and aligned goals. Rather than relying on top-down authority to enforce harmony, mediation involves an inclusive and participatory process where all voices are acknowledged.
Mediation, in the context of workplace progression, is not about convincing one party of the rightness of the promotion decision. Instead, it creates an environment where individuals are encouraged to express their feelings in a controlled and empathetic setting. This is particularly important because resentment is often not about a single event but the accumulation of multiple small slights, miscommunications, or unacknowledged contributions.
Bringing in a neutral facilitator allows for delicate topics to be explored without fear of reprisal or further alienation. The mediator’s ability to decentralise power in the conversation — especially important when one participant has just been elevated — fosters safer communication. Colleagues who feel angry or betrayed can articulate those sentiments openly, while the person who received the promotion gains insight into the broader impact of the change, beyond their individual experience.
Through exploration, reflection, and mutual dialogue, mediation uncovers misaligned perceptions and taps into underlying issues that may have gone unnoticed by leadership. It allows employees to reframe their understanding of fairness and boosts transparency in career development processes. Ultimately, it gives everyone the dignity of being heard — a powerful step toward healing resentment.
Creating a Culture Where Mediation is Normalised
Organisational culture plays a significant role in whether mediation can be effectively utilised. In many workplaces, especially those with hierarchical legacies or ego-driven environments, there exists an unspoken bias labeling any engagement with mediation as a last resort, or worse, a sign of personal failure. Normalising mediation is not merely an operational change — it reflects a cultural evolution.
To begin with, leaders must model vulnerability. When those at the top acknowledge their own missteps or transitional blind spots, it invites others to be open without fear of judgement or consequence. Encouraging all employees, regardless of level, to view mediation as a routine practice — akin to regular performance reviews or team debriefs — helps break down the stigma associated with conflict.
Furthermore, proactive communication about career pathways and promotion criteria builds trust. When employees understand the decision-making processes involved in promotions, their narratives are more rooted in fact than assumption. However, when transparency is lacking or inconsistently applied, employees are more likely to develop narratives that feed resentment.
Embedding mediation as a regular support mechanism — not just a reactive tool — ensures that when feelings of disappointment or jealousy arise, there is already a known and accessible outlet for constructive discussion. Workshops on emotional intelligence, active listening, and conflict resolution build the necessary skills across the board so that mediation is seen not just as a process, but as a leadership attribute and everyday team competency.
Timing Mediation Correctly and Thoughtfully
While mediation brings value, timing is crucial. Organisations often wait too long to intervene, hoping that tensions will dissipate on their own. Unfortunately, time rarely dissolves resentment — more often, it allows it to solidify. However, neither should mediation be rushed into immediately after an announcement when emotions are still raw and unprocessed.
A reflective window between the moment of promotion and the start of mediation can be beneficial. This pause allows employees to process their initial reactions, clarify their thoughts, and avoid saying something they might regret. The key is to monitor signs of disengagement or interpersonal tension closely. Managers should engage in regular one-to-one check-ins during this sensitive period and offer the option of mediation once emotional responses seem more stable but still unresolved.
Group mediation could also be considered where multiple members of a team feel overlooked or are impacted by a hierarchy reshuffle. However, such sessions require even more careful facilitation, given the increased number of perspectives and potential for group polarisation.
The emphasis must remain on empowerment. Mediation works because it’s voluntary — participants should feel a sense of agency in choosing to attend, in determining the topics of discussion, and in co-creating resolutions together.
Addressing Structural Triggers of Resentment
While mediation serves important emotional and relational functions, it should not be used to substitute systemic reforms that prevent resentment in the first place. In some organisations, repeated fixing of emotions through conversation deflects from the deeper restructuring that may be needed.
For instance, are promotion criteria overly subjective, or opaque? Are certain employees continually overlooked despite strong performance due to unconscious bias, cultural misalignment, or lack of visibility? Do some departments receive more recognition because of their proximity to leadership, while others are invisible despite high performance?
Conducting honest audits of internal processes is vital. Mediation participants often reveal these systemic flaws in their conversations. Feedback collected through such processes must be taken seriously and addressed at both policy and leadership levels. Implementing review panels, adjusting performance metrics, and offering mentorship to those historically underpromoted signal earnest intent to create fairness over time.
Only by combining dialogue (through mediation) with structural reform can resentment be reduced not only during individual events but at the systemic level. This dual lens promotes a more equitable environment in which emotional expressiveness and procedural justice go hand in hand.
Maintaining Momentum After Mediation Sessions
While a single session often marks a powerful turning point, true healing and re-engagement require ongoing support. Leaders must check in with participants to assess progress and meet any evolving needs. It is also helpful to recap mediation outcomes in a non-confidential summary focusing on agreed next steps and behavioural commitments.
This post-mediation phase is where accountability becomes central. Management should work with the team to ensure follow-through on actions discussed, whether that involves changing communication styles, redefining team responsibilities, or mentoring ahead of future promotions. This shows tangible investment in relational repair, far beyond the initial conversation.
Additionally, creating peer support structures can contribute to a lasting bloom of buy-in. Those who have undergone mediation might volunteer as champions or mentors who build empathy-based communication norms within the organisation. Such initiatives echo the values of mediation and demonstrate how personal change can lead to collective transformation.
The Personal Benefits for All Involved
Despite being prompted by discomfort, mediation offers growth potential for all parties involved. For the person who has been promoted, it builds humility and a more empathetic leadership style. Nothing prepares a future leader better than learning to listen to criticism with openness and respond with grace. It also invites them to acknowledge their privilege in the scenario and consider how they can help create more equitable pathways for peers.
For the person feeling resentment, the process offers validation, emotional release, and a forward-looking pathway. Rather than being stuck in unspoken bitterness, they gain clarity, perhaps even a renewed motivation to advocate for their own development in practical ways.
Leaders and HR professionals also benefit. They receive crucial insights into team dynamics, better understand the human impact of organisational decisions, and enhance their own competence in managing change.
Ultimately, mediation helps foster workplaces where people not only accept but understand each other, where transitions are navigated thoughtfully, and where success is defined not just by outcomes, but by the integrity of the journeys taken. In environments like these, resentment becomes less of a risk and more of a moment of pause — a signal, not of failure, but of opportunity.
