It can be daunting to ask for a promotion: the fear of rejection is strong in many of us. In a 2014 study by Accenture, only 44% of employees admitted they had inquired about a promotion, and 68% of those have even gotten one.
However, when this guy asked for a promotion at his company, he was put on a PIP (performance improvement plan) instead. He felt disrespected and even claimed that the management bullied him during the meeting. And, since he had recorded it, he thought it might be a good idea to share the recording with his colleagues. Read on to find out why that might not have been the best idea.
A guy wanted a promotion, but "was bullied" into a performance improvement plan instead
Image credits: prostock-studio / freepik (not the actual photo)
He planned to get revenge by leaking the recording of the meeting
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: DC Studio / freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Engineer9918
Apparently, the reason for the PIP was an "alleged lack of performance"
Even when legal, recording work meetings secretly might backfire on the employee
Image credits: DC Studio / freepik (not the actual photo)
If you're someone who feels strongly about workers' rights, you may root for the author of this story. Exposing a company and its managers may be a revenge fantasy for many, but it's not as simple as it may seem.
As some commenters already pointed out, it's possible that the employee didn't break any laws by recording the meeting. In Canada, the "one-party consent" rule applies to secret video and audio recordings. However, it may still lead to serious legal and employment consequences.
As recruitment professionals from Legacy Bowes note, it depends on whether the recorder is participating in the conversation that is being recorded. "Under the Criminal Code of Canada, an individual can legally record a conversation as long as they are a participant," they explain. "However, secretly recording a meeting can be considered a breach of trust and may result in disciplinary action, including termination, if it is against company policy."
If there are privacy laws or company policies stating that recording someone without their knowledge is forbidden, the recorder might receive disciplinary action or even be fired.
Although in this case, the employee didn't record the meeting to later use it in court and just wanted to expose his company to other employees, some experts caution that such recordings might be inadmissible in court.
According to the experts at The Employment Law Group, there are three main concerns:
- It may be hard to prove that the recordings haven't been altered;
- If they were edited even in the slightest, the recorder might be accused of spoliation or even of destroying the evidence;
- They may not be taken seriously because "they include 'hearsay.'"
Hard workers don't always get the promotion
Image credits: EyeEm / freepik (not the actual photo)
This situation raises an interesting issue. The author writes that he did everything right to be a hard worker. He brought in the most promoters, was always on time, adhered to schedules, even trained new hires, and worked overtime. But is hard work the only thing that matters when it comes to getting promoted?
In a 2019 CNBC and SurveyMonkey poll, many workers said their companies have unfavorable policies for getting promoted. Still, 24% believed that working hard is the most important quality when it comes to getting a promotion. Networking, earning an advanced degree, and earning additional certifications were the next top factors.
However, when it comes to actually getting promoted, other things might matter more. As some commenters pointed out, networking is a big factor. Employees who want to be promoted need to put their talent and hard work out there, and the people know how valuable they are.
"If your boss doesn't know your impact, they can't promote you," career and leadership coach Dr. Tega Edwin writes. "If leadership doesn't see your potential, they won't advocate for you."
Showing initiative outside of your assigned role is also a big plus. "If you can start taking on new responsibilities and projects outside your core role, it can help prove to your boss that you can handle a bigger job," LinkedIn's Paul Petrone writes.
Other things, like having a mentor and good listening skills, assertiveness, etc., play a role in whether a person gets a promotion. But, in the end, it's clearly not just about being good at your job. In 2025, that's just one of the factors.
However, people urged him not to risk his career by making the recording public
