What is a promotion announcement?

A promotion announcement is a communication you can distribute throughout your organization to inform everyone of a recent role change. Promotion announcements serve various key functions, including:

• Congratulating: Promotion announcements help you celebrate the achievements of individuals who deserve greater responsibility in your organization. By publicly announcing their accomplishment, you can make your talented employee feel acknowledged and appreciated.
• Modelling excellence: Promotion emails usually describe the positive professional habits and skills the relevant employee has applied to their work. By specifying what they did to deserve their promotion, you make clear which behaviours you’d like to see your other employees replicate.
• Clarifying operations: When someone changes roles, their colleagues usually have questions about how it affects their workflows and reporting structures. A promotion announcement is your chance to make sure your team understands the effects of the staffing change.
• Updating human resources: You can forward your promotion announcement to human resources so they also become aware or receive a reminder about the personnel change. This can help them handle any necessary paperwork or administrative tasks a promotion requires.

How to write a promotion announcement email

No matter the size of your organization, all employers can benefit from learning how to create a promotion announcement email. Below, we highlight the steps to follow that ensure your message is well-received:

1. Decide if you want to send an email

While promotion announcement emails are useful tools for communicating with your organization, you might prefer to make an announcement in person. Consider the most meaningful way you can update your staff. If you excel at public speaking or have a smaller team, you might forego the email and update everyone at a meeting.

2. Share your reason for writing

Begin with a standard email greeting, such as “Dear team” or “Hello everyone.” Establish a positive tone and generate excitement by expressing your pleasure in sharing news about a promotion. Introduce the promoted individual by stating their full name, their current role, and their history with the company.

3. Outline the employee’s achievements

Describe what the employee has contributed to the company with specific examples. You can share a story of their success or describe the traits that make them exceptional. You may also benefit from explaining their new responsibilities and new department or manager, if relevant.

4. Encourage employees to show support

Entering a new role often requires a period of learning and adjustment. Finish the email positively, calling for employees to support their promoted colleague. Doing so motivates your team to work toward collective success.

Template for a promotion announcement email

The following template for a promotion announcement can help you write a practical, informative, and professional email.

Subject: [Name of the employee] Promotion to [their new position]

[Greeting],

[In one or two sentences, introduce the employee, including their old position and new position. Use positive language such as “excited” or “thrilled” to motivate other employees.]

[Briefly outline what influenced your decision to promote the individual by referring to situations where they excelled, their strongest professional traits, and the value they offer your team. Explain any key details about their upcoming responsibilities, specifying the date of their transition. Include information about changes in workflows or reporting structures.]

[Congratulate the employee again and encourage other employees to extend their support.]

[Closing phrase],

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your organization]

Example of a promotion announcement email

Here’s an example of a promotion announcement that follows the above template:

Subject: Joe Smith Promotion to Content Manager

Dear All,

I am delighted to announce that the company is promoting Joe Smith to the role of Content Manager. Joe was previously working as a Content Assistant at The Wavewood Group for three years. During this time, he made excellent contributions to the team and pioneered various recent business developments.

Joe has eight years of marketing experience he uses to surpass targets his targets regularly. We are confident he can continue to apply his attention to detail skills, leadership, and passion for our industry as he embraces this opportunity. Joe’s new role begins August 15 and involves overseeing the content teams and their projects. He now reports to the Director of Marketing.

Please join me in congratulating Joe on his new role. We wish him the best of luck.

Sincerely,

Sally Jones
CEO
The Wavewood Group

Promotion announcement FAQs

To help you get started, here is a quick reference list of the most commonly asked promotion announcement questions.

Who should send a promotion announcement?

Whoever decided to promote the employee is usually best positioned to send the announcement. Their evaluation of the employee’s success and work ethic is often most insightful. As leaders, they also usually command the respect of the rest of the team, making the email more effective.

How long should a promotion announcement be?

You can write a promotion announcement succinctly. Try to keep your communication to three or four paragraphs of text. This email works best if it’s direct, clear, and concise.

How can you make promotion announcements inspiring?

You can better inspire the rest of your team by involving your personal perspective on the employee’s success and work ethic. Although you may oversee an employee, you can still express admiration for their abilities and share what you’ve learned from them. When your other team members see you respect their potential and contributions, they might feel more inclined to put forth their best efforts.

Promotion Announcement Email Templates for PDF & Word

Download these templates to help show your appreciation for your employees’ hard work and dedication.

*Indeed provides these examples as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your HR or legal adviser, and none of these documents reflect current labor or employment regulations.