Policy number PC012-ATL-25 · Issuing department People & Culture · Effective 1 December 2025 · Published 24 November 2025
At ATÖLYE we are committed to making all promotion decisions transparently, equitably and inclusively. This policy reflects the organisation's dedication to fair and just decision-making, rooted in our values of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
Promotions are based not only on performance and competency but on alignment between individual behaviour and ATÖLYE's core cultural values. We expect team members to demonstrate accountability, proactiveness, a growth-driven and creative mindset, emotional intelligence and resilience. Building those expectations into our policies is how we work towards a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued, and has equal opportunity to grow.
All team members of ATÖLYE, regardless of location.
Performance. The candidate must consistently meet or exceed performance expectations across the review period. Midyear overall assessment must be at least "meets expectations". Year-end overall assessment, including overall goal achievement, must be at least "meets expectations".
Competencies. The candidate should demonstrate expertise in their current role and confidence in meeting the critical competencies of the next level. For lead roles and above, there should be observed evidence of leadership, initiative, and contribution to team success.
Cultural values. Alongside performance and competency, the candidate must exemplify ATÖLYE's cultural values: integrity, self-reliant collaborator, curious explorer, emotionally intelligent leader, responsive pathfinder. They should be someone who both contributes to the team's success and embodies the cultural principles we uphold.
Coaches identify candidates against the criteria above at the end of the year-end feedback cycle. Team members are welcome to start the conversation themselves, in which case coach and coachee prepare the case together using the Promotion Case Template within 15 days of the feedback cycle closing.
The coach conducts a thorough assessment and prepares the promotion case deck, and aligns with the relevant function leader on the nomination before it goes further.
The Promotion Committee — a consultative body of Function Leaders — and the CEO meet once the year-end feedback cycle is finalised. The candidate's function leader presents the case, and the committee reviews and discusses each one together.
The People & Culture Senior Director and the CEO hold a separate meeting to finalise decisions for each cycle. They are entrusted with exercising management authority so that decisions align with business needs and adhere to the established criteria.
In all cases they will ensure promotions are decided fairly, without favouritism or discrimination. Where unique circumstances require someone to be treated differently, clear and objective reasons will be given.
The final decision goes first to the relevant Function Leader, then to the candidate's coach with the reasoning. The coach informs the candidate of the result and the reasons.
If the coachee is not promoted, the reasons and growth areas are communicated in writing. If they are promoted, the coach covers the new role, responsibilities and any compensation change. Once everyone has been informed, promotions are announced to the whole organisation, and People & Culture shares the new job description and compensation details as a contract amendment.
During organisational restructuring, some team members may be promoted outside the regular cycle because their role and responsibilities have changed. These cases are considered where someone takes on significantly greater responsibility aligned to a higher level or a different role, and are evaluated individually against their ability to meet the new role's expectations and the strategic needs of the organisation. They remain rare, and are subject to Promotion Committee discussion and CEO approval.
To be eligible, a candidate must have no unresolved or ongoing disciplinary actions on record at the time of consideration — meaning formal warnings related to violations of company policy or the code of conduct. Where disciplinary matters have been fully resolved, the candidate may be eligible in future cycles.
ATÖLYE cultural values deck and the Promotion Case Template live in Google Drive. Links carried over from the Notion source; check they still resolve before the next review.
content/policies/promotion-policy.md. Change the content and bump reviewed in the same commit — that is the whole review process. Migrated from Notion: source page.