Demotion Process

Ultimately you can only demote someone with their agreement.

So you would need to go through your normal performance management process and as part of that you could offer a lower role as a redeployment opportunity. if the person doesn't accept that, yet despite appropriate warnings and support, are unable to perform to the required standard, you would need to follow your performance management through to dismissal

Normal performance management process = could be a "PIP"?

Hi, yes, it would be whatever process the organisation has in place to manage performance. Alternatively, a 'protected conversation' may be a more appropriate route for a very senior role. I would probably get legal advice on how to approach that for a senior role, particularly if the individual doesn't really see that there is an issue with their performance  

Even when somebody is asking or willing to take a down-level in our organization, the medium to long-range outcomes are tough and usually dilutive. Leaders can't turn off being leaders, people who replace them can have a hard time with the dynamic of managing somebody who used to have their job. There's human dynamics of bitterness, jealousy, which at best can be subtle and passive aggressive and at worst- outright hostile. Where I've seen demotions not turn catastrophic: 

1. Technical leaders who just want to quietly be back in the code and are more than happy to take a pay cut and ditch the leadership to do what they enjoy. 

2. People who basically move into senior individual contributor jobs that are largely advisory- these are folks who may be away from a retirement milestone or months away from a major stock vest. They don't want the pressure of a leadership/management job but there is less risk to keep them than to eliminate the role. 

Demotion as a form of performance management is a disaster waiting to happen most of the time- for the reasons stated above by Teresa, all of which I fully agree with, and because you typically end up trading a performance issue for an attitude/team dynamic one (and very likely still a performance one!)  

Hi, 

The process of demotion, is an outcome of Performance Review and Appraisal where the candidate/person is informed in the process of review. Either attend training or demoted (in my context the salary is not reduced). this is safe when the Review of performance is followed.

Although this varies in levels there are levels where one will part ways BUT this is known from inseption.

Hi Skirenga - that really wouldn't be safe at all I'm afraid as it doesn't comply with employment law. Even if the salary isn't reduced, it would be a breach of contract if the employee didn't agree. Also, paying someone a higher salary than the one that applies to their role would give you an equal pay risk. There are limited circumstances where you can protect pay if there is an agreed reduction in the level of the role, however long term you risk someone within the lower level role, raising an equal pay claim because the other person doing the same role as them is paid more.

Hello Teresa, in line with this the Procedure of Performance Appraisal needs to be followed that incorporate the employee to be heard, in the government set up jobs will be changed and moved here and there but salaries will not be reduced; however in private set up with the agreement as mentioned an understanding is made. All in all the Equal pay per work is a part that we (here) need to work on as it is a problem.

Ah, is this the Civil Service? I do know that they have some different arrangements which make it very difficult to dismiss and the tendency is to move people around